Tears of the Heart
by Crystal Twilight
Summary: VHF Love Triangle Hitomi is sick of all the fighting on Gaea. When history repeats itself, she doesn't return. Two years later Hitomi and Yukari are abducted by Zaibach from Earth. Hitomi is to become the bride of Folken. Will Hitomi find Van once more?
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own Escaflowne. I wish I did, but unfortunately for me, I have no magical pendant to make my wishes reality… Life stinks sometimes. Poor me… Anyway, don't sue me. I also don't own any of the characters, except the ones of my creation for this story. In addition, most flashbacks in this story and the first part of this chapter are scenes directly from the series. I, of course, do not own these scenes either. They are only used to advance the plot. Sunrise owns Esca in Japan, Bandai owns it in America, and I sadly know it. I also do not own "A Thousand Miles" by Vanessa Carlton.

A/N: Hello again! I am writing a Folken/ Hitomi fic… Hitomi is in love with Van though. It is a Romance/Drama… **Believe** me, there is a lot of Drama towards the end, there's a little angst and suspense too… (I cannot kill the eternal love… xx) Anyways, it's M for some sexual references (Nothing's described. I can't do it…), bad language (Not much, a couple words here and there that kiddies should not know… Tell that to my 7-year-old sister who's constantly asking me what the curse words she picks up mean…), and a bit of blood. It's probably overrated, but I really don't want it to be taken down because of complaints, so it will remain at M. It's better to be safe than sorry, I always say. I will start each chapter with a song I have painstakingly decided fits… I came up with many on the long 16-hour drive to Wisconsin and back. I apologize to fans of all my other fics that I wrote none of them on my weeklong vacation. It is WAY TOO pretty up there to concentrate. I had such a great time… Biking, kayaking, swimming, playing tennis, mini golfing, and "bonding" with my family… Then stupid old didn't upload this while I was gone like it was supposed to, so I have to put it up now. After I've been gone in Colorado for three weeks! I could not resist writing this. If nobody likes it, I will just write it for my own enjoyment and take it down. I hope you like it. Review and tell me what you think. (The first chapter is **extremely** slow. Just to warn you.) Enjoy!

**Tears of the Heart**

_Making my way downtown  
Walking fast  
Faces pass  
And I'm home bound_

Staring blankly ahead  
Just making my way  
Making a way  
Through the crowd

And I need you  
And I miss you  
And now I wonder…

If I could fall  
Into the sky  
Do you think time  
Would pass me by?  
'Cause you know I'd walk  
A thousand miles  
If I could  
Just see you  
Tonight

It's always times like these  
When I think of you  
And I wonder  
If you ever  
Think of me

'Cause everything's so wrong  
And I don't belong  
Living in your  
Precious memories

'Cause I need you  
And I miss you  
And now I wonder…

If I could fall  
Into the sky  
Do you think time  
Would pass me by?  
'Cause you know I'd walk  
A thousand miles  
If I could  
Just see you  
Tonight

And I, I  
Don't want to let you know  
I, I  
Drown in your memory  
I, I  
Don't want to let this go  
I, I  
Don't…

Making my way downtown  
Walking fast  
Faces pass  
And I'm home bound

Staring blankly ahead  
Just making my way  
Making a way  
Through the crowd

And I still need you  
And I still miss you  
And now I wonder...

If I could fall  
Into the sky  
Do you think time  
Would pass us by  
'Cause you know I'd walk  
A thousand miles  
If I could   
Just see you...

If I could fall  
Into the sky  
Do you think time  
Would pass me by  
'Cause you know I'd walk  
A thousand miles  
If I could  
Just see you  
If I could  
Just hold you  
Tonight

-"A Thousand Miles" by Vanessa Carlton

Chapter 1: Prologue

"_Why is fighting the only thing you can think about?" the green-eyed girl interrupted the men's war strategies._

"_Come on, Hitomi… We're fighting to protect you and everyone else." Van tried to reason with her._

"_But I can see now, Van, that you enjoy the fighting…" Van and everyone else gasped at her accusation. No one liked leading his comrades onto a bloody battlefield where they were likely to never see the next sunrise._

"_I really don't want you to protect me if that's what it does to you… I'm sick of it… I'm sick of this whole world…"_

"_Hitomi!" Van pleaded for her to understand the situation._

"_Please, someone send me back to my world!" Her pendant glowed brightly as a blue column of light engulfed her and she began to rise into the air._

"_HITOMI!" Van and Allen shrieked in unison, running after her to no avail. The girl from the Mystic Moon was gone._

2 Years Later…

"HITOMI!" Hitomi looked up from her focus on the ground as Yukari ran to catch up with her.

"Hey, Yukari," Hitomi greeted her best friend weakly.

It had been two years since her wish had been granted and she'd been sent home. Sent home to the Mystic Moon, away from Gaea and its pain. She had never gone to the track a second time. She had chosen not to repeat history. Who knew what would have happened if she had done so? Amano had left without so much as a goodbye from her, but maybe it was better that way. He had moved to England, to Yukari's extreme dismay. The two friends had kept in touch. Writing, calling, and visiting had sparked the flames of romance between them. It had only been a week since Amano had asked Yukari to marry him after they both graduated. Hitomi was very happy for her friends who were so in love. She just wished that she could feel the passion, the burning sensation Yukari felt whenever Amano kissed her. They'd been in love for the past two years. Even though everyone said they were too young, Hitomi thought that if anyone could make it, they could.

Hitomi was no longer the naïve 15-year-old who thought that she was too young to love. At seventeen, she knew who she wanted to spend the rest of her life wife. The boy who lost his entire family as a child. The boy who slew that awful dragon. The boy who became king of Fanelia at the age of fifteen. The boy who had to watch as his country was burned to the ground and his castle destroyed by invisible enemies. The boy who had a best friend who was a catgirl, believe it or not. The boy who was an angel, who everyone thought to be cursed. The boy who saw her kiss Allen on that bridge in the rain and ran away. The boy she had left behind. The boy she believed in and thought of every day. Van Slanzar de Fanel. Whenever she heard his name, her heart beat wildly and she could practically smell his intoxicating scent. He smelled of the grassy fields of Fanelia, illuminated by the sun in the day and the two moons at night. How she loved Fanelia's young king. All she could do was wonder if she'd ever see his smiling face again.

_Probably not, Kanzaki. Give it up, you're a hopeless romantic! _ She chided herself, returning to the reality at hand. Van had undoubtedly moved on by now, even if he had felt something for her during her brief adventure on Gaea.

"Hitomi, what's wrong with you? Ever since Amano left, you've been acting really weird. I don't understand, but whatever it is, you can tell me, Hitomi…"

"Yukari…" Hitomi moaned, hoping her friend wouldn't go into 'the promise' again.

"Hitomi, if you really love Amano, I'll call off the wedding. I want you to be happy." She embraced Hitomi, as friends do, and Hitomi groaned in frustration.

"Yukari, I don't love Amano anymore! I'm not sure if I ever really did… You **do** love him! Don't back out on me now; I've already bought your wedding gift!" Hitomi whined impatiently, trying to make Yukari understand what she'd been saying for the last two years.

"I'm sorry, Hitomi. I've just been worried about you. You've changed somehow. I can't put my finger on it, but something's different about you. I'm just worried about you."

"Oh Yukari…" Hitomi returned her friend's previous hug as they stood there a minute before parting.

_If only you knew… _She silently regretted never sharing her experiences on that strange planet with her best friend.

"Anyway, I was thinking red dresses for the bridesmaids. You'll be the maid of honor, of course. And the flower girl will…" Yukari began to drone on and on about her wedding plans as Hitomi thought of the young king she'd left behind, so very far away. In her mind, Van was smiling at her as they laughed, dancing among thousands of flowers. No, that wasn't good enough. Hitomi added a grinning sun and a flashy rainbow to her little fantasy. Much better.

"HITOMI! ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING?!" Yukari shrieked in frustration as she noticed that far off look in her best friend's eyes.

Suddenly, the blue pillar of light that constantly shifted the destiny of the emerald-eyed girl came into her life once again and began to lift the girls into the sky.

"WHAT'S HAPPENING?!" Yukari cried out in fright.

"I'm going home…" Hitomi whispered happily as she enjoyed their gentle ascension into the heavens.

_Wait for me Van…_ Hitomi could barely contain her joy as the light faded from the Earth's surface, transporting the girls to a world unlike their own, where wishes, like Hitomi's, came true…

A/N: There's the first chapter! I hope you liked it! Please review, and don't think the whole thing will be a bunch of sap about Hitomi's love for Van, it won't be…

Next Time On "Tears of the Heart":

"_I am Makai, a sorcerer of Zaibach. You were brought here using the destiny prognostication engine, which Lord Folken rescued from the Vione…" _

"_Where is Folken? I thought he was helping the Allies…"_

"_A clever ploy to gain their trust, then strike. We killed them all…"_

"_F-Folken is a traitor?" Hitomi stuttered in disbelief._


	2. Awakening to a Nightmare

Disclaimer: Gatty wadoka da? Chesta wadoka da? Guimel wadoka da? Dalet wadoka da? Viole wadoka da? Shinda? SHINDA?! Don't ask… I don't own Escaflowne, its characters, any flashback sequences for the series, or "Halfway Around the World" by ATeens.

A/N: Well, here's chapter 2! Review and I shall be a happy person!

Here are my comments to the people who reviewed. Thanks a lot!

Coolchick1500- I'm glad you like the idea! So far, I've only seen one or two other F/H fics… I'm sure there are more that I just haven't seen, but it's kind of pathetic compared to the 1,000 or so V/H and the numerous D/H…

Enfant de haine- I am glad that you are a happy Icelander! I am a somewhat-happy Illinoisan. (That's a weird word…)

Kiya- Well, here's more for you to read! Thanks for reviewing!

Harmony- I agree with you on the whole D/H thing. I just don't think that they make a good couple. It's extremely questionable if my match with Dilandau is good, but note that it's probably the **first** time ever that the two characters have been paired… I have only seen one **good** D/H that I can remember, and that's Untamed Angel, which is a really good fic… Will Hitomi stay with Folken? Well, you'll have to read and find out. I'm not telling…

Emerald Mist- I assure you that a romance **will** blossom between Folken and Hitomi, you'll just have to wait a while. This fic is 15 chapters long, so give it awhile. I'm glad you've enjoyed it so far! Keep reading it and I'll keep writing it!

Crimsonfire- I like your suggestion. This is the first time that I actually have a long fic written out on paper before typing it and it's kind of nice to just sit back and wait for the reviews. Sorry I left you with a cruel cliffhanger. I hate those, but don't worry, there aren't that many chapters that end like that in this fic. Most of them end with the characters being deep in thought, sleeping, or confused or someone dying… (As people who read my fics should know by now, I seem to kill off at least half of the main characters before the fic ends… I'm sorry to say that this fic is no different.) I'm glad you like it. Nice reviewers like you keep me wanting to write these things… Anyway, I'll email you to let you know after I post this. It's 1:40 AM and I want to go to bed…

**Tears of the Heart**

_Baby I will soon be leaving,  
And I know that you are feeling down…   
But every week I'll send a letter,  
To let you know my love will never change…  
I promise you I'll always feel the same… _

So remember in your heart,  
Baby when we are apart,  
There is no need for crying,  
'Cause even if I am…

Halfway around the world,  
That won't stop me from loving you…  
Halfway around the world,  
Still be feeling the way I do,  
Now I wanna hold you baby,  
'Cause I'm gonna miss you like crazy,  
Even if I'm halfway around the world!

Baby when the miles are growing,  
You and I will still be growing strong…  
No matter what your friends are saying,  
Don't give up on what you're waiting for…  
'Cause one day I'll be knocking on your door…

So remember in your heart,  
Baby when we are apart,  
There is no need for crying,  
'Cause even if I am…

Halfway around the world,  
That won't stop me from loving you…  
Halfway around the world,  
Still be feeling the way I do…  
Now I wanna hold you baby,  
'Cause I'm gonna miss you like crazy…  
Even if I'm halfway around the world…

If I could you know that I would find a way,  
To stay for good, but I must go now…  
I wanna hold you baby,  
I'm gonna miss you like crazy even if I'm…

–"Halfway Around the World" by ATeens

Chapter 2: Awakening to a Nightmare

The girls landed roughly on the cold stone floor, practically being knocked unconscious by the fall.

"H-Hitomi… What's going on?" Yukari whimpered, pressing her hand against her bloodied forehead.

"I really don't know…" Hitomi whispered, trying to stop the bleeding on her arm by applying pressure with her jacket, only succeeding in staining it. She looked around carefully, examining the futuristic machinery, noting that the medieval aura still lingered.

"It's… Zaibach… I'm back…" She looked around in awe.

"Zaibach? Hitomi, what are you talking about?" Yukari moaned in confusion, still rubbing her head.

"Oh Yukari! I get to see him again!" She exclaimed, hugging her best friend. Then, reality struck.

"Oh no… We're in Zaibach. They hate me. They want me dead… We're in grave danger…" She desperately looked around for a means of escape.

"Lady Hitomi…" A man emerged from the shadows. In a long, dark robe, Hitomi knew he had to be a Zaibach sorcerer. Hitomi shivered, her eyes widening in terror.

She bravely stepped forward, shielding Yukari behind her.

"Who are you? Why are we here? What do you want with us?"

"I am Makai, a Zaibach sorcerer. You were brought here using the destiny prognostication engine, which Lord Folken rescued from the Vione…"

"Where is Folken? I thought that he was helping the allies…"

"A clever ploy to gain their trust, then strike. We killed them all…"

"F-Folken is a traitor?" Hitomi stuttered in disbelief.

"Yes, and a good one at that…"

"V-Van?" Hitomi whimpered, afraid to know the truth about her beloved king.

"Oh, Van Fanel, King of Fanelia? He was the only one to survive. Damn him…" The sorcerer scowled at the mention of the raven-haired boy's name.

"They're all dead…?" Hitomi whispered, trying to blot out the images of her shrieking comrades as they painfully died. The fact that Van was alive kept her alive, but the fact that she'd never see her Gaean friends was more than she could bear.

"Yes and it's too late to do anything about it. But don't you want to know why you are here?" The sorcerer seemed impatient with her mourning and Yukari seemed dazed.

"Yes…" Hitomi muttered in consent, still filled with grief for her lost comrades.

"We were told by the royal council to bring the seeress from the Mystic Moon and her companion back to our capital. You and your friend are to be married to Lord Folken and Lord Dilandau tomorrow evening."

Flashback

"_I've never seen clothes like yours before… Where are you from, little girl?" The crimson-eyed commander spotted Hitomi in the crowd of men and began to interrogate her. She shuddered uncontrollably. What would he do to her?_

"_So you noticed… I found her in the East and her name is Hitomi…" Allen answered for her suavely, kissing her cheek. "She's simply lovely, isn't she?"_

"_You live up to your reputation, __**Allen Schezar**__…" Dilandau spat with a disgusted look on his face._

"_I just hope you put as much effort into our provisions…" The diabolical Adonis and his Dragonslayers filed out the door._

End of Flashback

"D-Dilandau?" She recoiled in horror and disbelief. No! Not him! Not that demon! God, no!

"Did someone say my name?" Dilandau sauntered into the room, hand on his hip where his finely polished sword hung from his leather belt, gleaming in the light

"Yes, Lord Dilandau. These are the girls for you and Lord Folken." The sorcerer hissed, grinning wickedly at the unfortunate girls. Folken walked in behind the pyromaniac, his expression unreadable.

"I still don't see the need for this. I don't have the need or the patience for a wife." Dilandau commented snidely.

"Why did you do this, Makai? The only use I have for Hitomi is as a bargaining tool with Van. Send the other girl home and let's be done with it." Folken commanded in that hauntingly cool voice of his.

"Wait just a minute!" Dilandau interrupted, walking over to Yukari and fingering a lock of her hair in appreciation. He stared into her eyes, enjoying the evident terror.

"That wench, Hitomi, is ruled out automatically. She's **Allen's** mistress. Oh wait, he's dead!" Dilandau seemed to get great enjoyment out of this fact. "Maybe she's **the dragon's** girl now. You can't really tell with the way she sluts around. However…" He smiled at the red-haired girl dangerously.

"How **dare **you insult Hitomi like that?! Why I oughta…" Yukari emitted pure rage from every fiber of her being.

"I like this one. She has got spirit. You can take the slut, Strategos." Dilandau traced a finger down Yukari's head wound and licked the blood from his glove, licking his lips. He grabbed her arm and began to pull her away as she hopelessly struggled against him.

"HITOMI!" Yukari cried desperately for her friend. Dilandau kicked her in the head with his boot, knocking her unconscious. She fell limp and he dragged her from the room as Hitomi wildly called out to her. She was restrained by Folken.

"How could you let him do that?! She has a fiancé! She has a life and a family! Whatever problems you have with me, Yukari has nothing to do with this!" Hitomi looked up at the two men appealingly, tears filling her eyes.

"Lord Folken, she's yours! The wedding is tomorrow night! Take her out of my sight!" The sorcerer scorned the girl's pathetic emotions. Emotions were for the weak.

Folken walked slowly down the hallway and Hitomi silently followed behind him. She didn't want to repeat Yukari's mistake.

"This will be your room. It used to be Naria and Eriya's dorm." Hitomi swore she could see a glimmer of a tear in his right eye, but she blinked and it disappeared. He turned to leave, but she stopped him.

"Folken… What happened to Van? Where is he?"

"As far as I know, he is in Fanelia, grieving for his losses. Merle died, you know…" Folken whispered, no regret evident in his voice.

"Merle too?" Hitomi whispered, not sure if she could take anymore of this.

Flashback

_A catgirl jumped through Hitomi's window._

"_AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"_

_She began to lick her hand and Hitomi stared._

"_Well what?" Why was this pesky catgirl here?_

"_Just don't get too familiar with him." The catgirl leaped off of the sill and landed on the floor._

"_What?"_

"_I'm saying, don't get too familiar with Prince Van. I don't want a __**foreigner**__ like __**you**__ getting too close to him!" Merle noticed her pendant and stared at it._

"_Ooh…That's a pretty stone…" She noticed that Hitomi was holding her pendant and looked at it in wonder._

"_I think I'll keep it!" She grabbed it smartly._

"_HEY!" Hitomi exclaimed after her. Merle dashed out of the room with Hitomi following._

"_GET BACK HERE, YOU LITTLE CAT BURGLAR! I'LL SHOW YOU NOT TO MESS WITH AN ATHLETE!"_

End of Flashback

"How can you not even care?!" She demanded, her voice full of hatred. "She was just a child. She never did anything except love Van and take care of him. What **danger** was **she** to your cause? She died for Van, just like Naria and Eriya died for you! You **sacrificed** them! You took advantage of their love for you! They're dead Folken, and it's all because of you…" She pointed her finger at him accusingly.

"How can you know what they felt? You nothing about them." Folken whispered coldly, trying to hide his hurt with a mask of indifference.

"Because… Naria was my friend…" Hitomi replied sadly.

"Friend?" Folken asked, the word foreign on his tongue.

"There are no such things as 'friends', Hitomi. There are only enemies and allies. Friends are for fools."

"They believed in you… Right up till the end…"

"Believing in people is **also** for fools." Folken said coldly, storming away to his quarters.

"But Folken… I believed in you too…" Hitomi murmured softly, closing the door to her room, wondering what had happened to the boy she had once knew who tamed dragons and flew on black wings. Where was that gentle boy now? And most importantly, what was going on around here?

A/N: Review! Oh yes, and wish me luck, I get my braces removed today… Here's a preview of the next chapter…

Next Time On "Tears of the Heart":

"_You mustn't be so hard on Lord Folken, Milady. Running an empire isn't easy you know."_

"_Folken is the Emperor of Zaibach?" Hitomi whispered in disbelief._


	3. In Body and In Blood

Disclaimer: I don't own Escaflowne. I wish I did. But unfortunately for me, unlike Hitomi, my wishes don't all come true and plunge entire worlds into chaos. Oh well… And by the way, I don't own flashbacks from the series, Escaflowne's characters (although Yuushi and Ari are mine), or "Don't Dream It's Over" by Sixpence None the Richer.

A/N: Wow! I got 26 reviews for my two extremely miniscule chapters! To think I thought I'd have to take this story down because everyone would hate it and flame me. Well, I'm glad that that is not how it worked out… I just cannot thank you guys enough. Even those of you who didn't review, but still gave my fic a chance, thanks.

Enfant de haine- Thank you for your sympathy. I hated my braces, but I'm free at last! YAY! I swear that it feels like they're pulling out your teeth when they take them off… But I have them no longer! Now I just have an annoying night retainer and a permanent bottom retainer. Well, when I'm 23, no more night retainer! Great…

TennyoAngel711- Thanks! I'm so happy those stupid braces are off! I feel sorry for you. Ouch! I hate adjustments… Now I worry that I'll leave my stupid retainer out too much and my teeth will shift and they'll re-brace me! Ah, none of us can spell, but that's what Spell Check is for!

Makota Almasy- Thanks so much! I'm glad that you like my idea… I wish that my friend, Kiddi Chi, did. Oh well… I hope that this will be one of the few **good** F/H fics, and I think that it's good so far, but I'm not the readers, and it's the readers' opinions that decide a fic's fate… I'm also a **major** V/H nut. It seems like I wrote a million fics for them. I just felt like doing something different… And don't worry, Allen's dead. I shall not bash him… He'll only be mentioned once or twice more in the rest of the fic.

Lovin Vegeta- Evil personalities are cool! Anyway, I hope that this satisfies your craving… I'm glad that you like it!

C.G.- Esca fans unite! I'm glad that you like the fic! Here's the update you wanted!

Harmony- Believe me… Yukari is not so thrilled about the whole Dilandau-thing either… Folken is sad because he's still getting over the fact that Naria and Eriya died and he doesn't like the fact that all those people died. I think that he's also sad because he knows how much Van will hate him since he betrayed the Allies and has taken over for Dornkirk… He's just depressed. Hitomi may help that a bit though. We'll get to Van, but it won't be until later. The perspective will mainly be Hitomi's with occasional thoughts from Folken and Dilandau. I hope that you like this chapter!

Tokara- Aww, I wouldn't say that Hitomi's being **tortured**, but I must admit… Things do **not** look good for our leading ladies… Van is in Fanelia and hasn't the slightest idea what has happened. Don't expect him until later. I'm glad that you like the fic!

D.C.- Yes, although Hitomi **will** miss Van, it is most definitely a F/H romance…

Girl-chama- I'm glad that you find it interesting, here it goes…

Coolchick1500- I'd agree with you that D/Y really **is** a twist. I'd be really amused if someone could find another fic that has **that** unique pairing. In fact, I challenge you all to find a fic with that pairing… I kind of wish that I had something to read so that I could get another person's view on how it would be… Oh well. Dream on, Jessica… I'm glad that you like it, keep reading!

Cous-cous- Yes, Dilly can't be **liking** Hitomi, now can he? Dilly rash is the way it should be, I agree… I'll include some Van angst for your sake. There will be some, I swear. I hope that you enjoy it!

Fontina Blu Cent- I'm glad that you like the fic. I wish Washu would read it. She totally refuses. Oh well… Anyway, I'll go read your fic the second I have the chance and review it and I'd love to be in it! I told Amie to tell you, but I don't know if she remembered. Thanks for reviewing Katie-chan!

Eunc- I'd have to agree with you that D/Y is an "interesting" couple and I frankly have no idea what entered my little blonde mind when I decided on it, but I did and it's done so, yeah… Oh well… Yukari may go back to Amano, but she may not… You'll have to read a few more chapters to find out. Van may get Hitomi back, he may not… Van's in Fanelia, and yes, I think I can safely say without giving away too much that he still loves Hitomi. Some things may not turn out as you'd like or expect though…

Emerald- Your dignity is spared. Anyway, I'm glad that you like it! It's all up to reviews when I upload new chapters. It's all written down in my oh-so-wonderful spiral notebook. I just have to type it and post it …

Xelena- I'm glad that you approve of the whole F/H thing. And I don't know how everybody will feel about the D/Y relationship; I'll just have to read the reviews to find out I guess…

Emerald Mist- I seem to have shocked/surprised a bunch of people with the whole D/Y thing. We'll see how that turns out… I can't tell you if F/H will stay together, but I'll let you know that they will have a romance. There are way too many V/H fics, but they make such a good couple, we writers can't help it. Oh well… Anyway, the braces thing went fine and now I'm free of them! Yay! Thanks for reading!

Nagi-chan- Thanks for reading my fic, Nagi-chan! Your support really means a lot to me! I'm glad that you like it! I hope that you stick with it! Call me!

**Tears of the Heart**

_There is freedom within, there is freedom without  
Try to catch the deluge in a paper cup  
There's a battle ahead, many battles are lost  
But you'll never see the end of the road  
While you're traveling with me_

Hey now, hey now  
Don't dream it's over  
Hey now, hey now  
When the world comes in  
They come, they come  
To build a wall between us  
We know they won't win

Now I'm towing my car, there's a hole in the roof  
My possessions are causing me suspicion but there's no proof  
In the paper today tales of war and of waste  
But you turn right over to the T.V. page

Now I'm walking again to the beat of a drum  
And I'm counting the steps to the door of your heart  
Only shadows ahead barely clearing the roof  
Get to know the feeling of liberation and relief

Hey now, hey now  
Don't dream it's over  
Hey now, hey now  
When the world comes in  
They come, they come  
To build a wall between us  
Don't ever let them win

-"Don't Dream It's Over" by Sixpence None the Richer

Chapter 3: In Body and In Blood

Hitomi wandered about her room aimlessly. So much time and so little to do.

_Naria… Eriya… _She had barely known them, but they had taught her something during their brief acquaintance. If you truly love someone, you're willing to do anything to protect them… In the catgirls' case, Folken had been the center of their very lives.

Hitomi wondered what they would have been like if they'd never met Van's older brother. If they'd never been pursued by those villagers. Would they have ended up like innocent, childish, annoying Merle? Hitomi could not picture Naria stealing her necklace and running off with it or clinging to Folken all day long and warning her to stay away from him. The twins just didn't seem the type to act that way. They were too cold and serious.

Van had once told Hitomi that Merle's parents had been killed by villagers, like the twins' parents were, and that Balgus had found her orphaned in Irini, a village in western Fanelia. It had been when she was very young, so she obviously didn't remember much except Van who had been her constant companion and friend since she was a kitten.

But Naria and Eriya… They remembered. They were haunted by the memories of their parents' deaths and their pursuers. How they had mocked them and insulted them, relentlessly chasing them for miles until they had them backed up against a cliff that plummeted into a river down below. They had wanted to sell them, but preferring death to servitude or separation, they had taken the plunge. At least they would die together. Sisters stuck together. No matter what… Hitomi could imagine them cringing, expecting to come to a bloody end in a matter of seconds. Their eyes were closed and you could only guess what they were thinking. Probably thoughts along the line of, _What did we do to deserve this?_

Then, they found themselves floating. They had looked up to see an angel, holding them in his strong arms. Mother had told them about angels and how when good little boys and girls died, angels took them up to heaven where they'd always be happy and safe… They were surprised when the angel didn't take them into the sky above and instead let them go by a cave. Naria bit the strange man, why, she probably couldn't remember later, but she did. Blood trickled down Folken's pale hand as he grimaced. For a small girl, she had sharp little teeth. He promised them better luck. Better lives. Who were they to refuse him? They'd fallen under the spell of Lord Folken's words… Just as Zongi and so many others would in the years to come…

Gradually, they probably learned to obey him and in later years, when their hormones started acting up, they began to love the man who had saved them and cared for them when no one else would. It was their love for Folken that had killed them. Hitomi knew it and Folken did too, whether he'd admit it or not. They never would have let him inject them with that fortune blood if they had not thought it would make him happy. They died, trying to make him happy. They did not succeed.

A tear came to Hitomi's eye, recollecting the catgirls and their bravery. But they had one thing to be grateful for, she supposed. They had died in the arms of the man they loved. The man they'd do anything for. Folken… Somehow, she knew that wherever they were now, they were still very much in love with the blue-haired man seven years their senior. Heaven could always use a few good cats. The thought of kitty-angels made Hitomi smile and almost laugh. But now was **not** the time to laugh.

The room was quite plain, but it was obvious to see what belonged to whom. Half the room was decorated in silver and the other half was decorated in gold. It fascinated her to no extent. There was a small bathroom adjoined to the bedroom that looked relatively clean. She pulled out the dresser drawers and explored the closet. All she could find were spare uniforms, identical to the ones that Naria and Eriya had always sported. She could not picture herself dressing like that… A blush crept to her cheeks at the very thought. Apparently, she'd have to make due with her school uniform for awhile. It looked to her like this situation was only temporary. After the wedding, she and Folken would probably share a room. Now that was an odd idea. And an unwanted one as well. She was extremely tired and glanced at the clock.

"Wow, it's past midnight already…" She flopped down on the closer of the two beds, which just happened to be Naria's, after kicking off her shoes and removing her jacket.

She stared at the ceiling. It was then that it happened. It always happened to Hitomi at the most inopportune of times. Why she was cursed with these visions, while no one else in her family was, baffled her to no extent. She hated them. She hated how they made her different. She knew that was why they had captured her and Yukari. That was why they were to be married to these cold, violent men of Zaibach.

Most importantly, Hitomi could be used as ransom. They might be able to convince the Allies to surrender when they saw that Zaibach had their "precious little seeress" in captivity. In addition, Folken obviously needed a wife. He wasn't getting any younger. It was queer to think how much older he was than her, but then again, she knew that there were 16-year-olds who ran off with men in their late thirties. And Gaea was, in some ways, was medieval and primitive. Marrying young and someone much older was not that uncommon. Folken's council was probably hoping that her psychic gifts were a genetic thing and that any children that resulted from their marriage might have his amazing wit and her knowledge of things that others could not see until it was far too late. Finally, it hurt the Allies. It was obvious that they had not been fairing well without her help, no matter how bad it was for her to give it. If they didn't know what Zaibach was up to, they couldn't strategize accordingly. They might occasionally use her, not that they needed her, but the sheer fact that the Allies couldn't reach her was a plus for Zaibach.

Why had Grandma Yuri given her those cards? Did she know how they would ruin her life and make living unbearable? How they would make adults classify her as a freak and girls as a love guide? And to top that off, she had also given her the pendant. She remembered that day when her Grandma had invited her to visit. It had been the day of her death. She had died that very night.

Flashback

"_Hitomi?"_

"_Yes, Grandma?" Hitomi walked over to the porch where her grandmother sat, propped up against a support beam. She looked so tired. Her eyes were sad, but on seeing Hitomi, her lips cracked into a thin smile. Hitomi had always visited her grandmother every Sunday afternoon for as long as she could remember. Her mother had confidentially told her what Grandma would not. She had gone to the doctor's office several weeks ago and been diagnosed with cancer. She was likely to die anytime now, whether she or Hitomi wanted to believe it or not. Her grandmother was always spouting advice, and usually it was good advice, although occasionally HItomi had no idea what she meant._

"_Hitomi… Believe in yourself… Your wishes will always come true… I want you to have this…" She placed a golden chain with a pinkish-red pendant hooked to the end of it in Hitomi's hand._

"_Thank you, Grandma. It's beautiful…" She whispered in awe, fastening it around her neck._

"_I'm glad that you like it. It's my treasure. I know that I can trust you to take care of it and use it properly."_

_Hitomi wondered what she meant by, "Use it properly." How could you improperly use a necklace?_

"_Grandma, where did this pendant come from?"_

"_Well, Hitomi, I'd tell yout, but I don't think that you'd believe me…or understand…" The old woman looked rather sad, burdened by knowledge she didn't feel that she could share with her younger look-alike and favorite granddaughter._

"_Grandma, tell me. I'm sure it can't be __**that**__ complicated!" Hitomi insisted._

"_Alright then, Hitomi. What would you say if I told you that the city of Atlantis existed?"_

"_I'd say that you were mistaken. It's a myth. Whole cities aren't engulfed by the ocean like that."_

"_You see, Hitomi? Yyou wouldn't understand if I told you the origin of that pendant. We'll just say that I've had it for a long time and leave it at that."_

"_Whatever you say, Grandma." Hitomi muttered, still confused._

"_Oh yes, and I found these in one of your mother's old trunks the other day. I thought that you might find a use for them." She held out a deck of cards to Hitomi. But on closer inspection, she realized that they weren't playing cards, but rather, cards of a far different sort._

"_They're tarot cards. They can tell you your fortune. Your mother had a grand time with them as a teenager. I can't honestly say that I believe they're very accurate, but I think it's all in who's the reader."_

"_But, I don't know how to use them…" Hitomi was pleased to receive such an interesting gift, but it would lie dormant on a shelf if she had no idea how to use it. The names and pictures were already confusing her._

"_Oh I'm sure that your mother can show you!" Her Grandma smiled warmly at her._

_"HITOMI!" Hitomi's mother honked her car horn from the driveway and Hitomi took that as a signal that it was time to go._

"_Well, that's your mother, see you next week, Hitomi!" Her Grandmother waved her off, still smiling as Hitomi hugged her before running to the car. As the car drove away, the smile left her face. Somehow, Hitomi's grandmother knew that she'd never see her granddaughter's sweet face again. A thought crossed her mind._

_Is she so much like me that…? No… It won't happen to her… That strange world… Gaea… I'm starting to believe that it was all just a dream… And that man… Schezar… I wonder if he's still alive…_ _She smiled at the thought of him._

_I wonder what he'd think of me now that I'm not the pretty young girl I once was? Oh well… It was probably some sort of illusion I conjured up on the way home from the carnival… I was probably just tired… My parents acted like I'd never even left… Yes, nothing will happen to Hitomi… Gaea is just a fantasy and nothing more…_

_With these thoughts in mind, the elderly lady retired to bed, intent on getting some sleep. She was extremely tired for some reason. She didn't know that she wouldn't wake up from her peaceful slumber…_

End of Flashback

Then, the vision began, as natural as though it were a dream. But it wasn't a dream… It was far too real to be that… And she wasn't even asleep yet…

Vision

"_I need one of you to be my partner…" Hitomi was surprised to see Folken standing there with Naria and Eriya. This was obviously something of the past. Naria and Eriya were dead…_

"_Of course, Lord Folken…" Naria whispered seductively, obviously praying that she'd be the one._

"_No complaints, okay Naria?" Eriya stated the conditions to her sibling._

"_Fine." Naria replied in annoyance._

"_Let's see whose luck is stronger!" Eriya declared, flipping a golden coin high into the air._

_Obviously, Eriya had won, because the next moment, she was on the bridge with Folken and Naria was off to the side, flipping the coin angrily and silently cursing her misfortune._

_A technician yelled over the silence, "Thirty to activation of the Fate Accelerator!"_

"_Alright, Eriya. We are to play Allen Schezar and Hitomi Kanzaki." Folken told her quietly, hoping she could do this._

"_Yes, Lord Folken, I mean Allen…" Eriya corrected her blunder quickly. She had to get in character if she wanted Folken to let her do this._

"_Good…" Folken murmured.._

"_Ten to activation!" another technician called out._

"_The stage is set, the actors are read. Now is the time to change the vector of their hearts… Alter fate!" Folken said dramatically._

"_Altering fate!"_

"_Altering fate!"_

"_Altering fate!" Three of the technicians cried._

_The machine was ready. A light illuminated the two players that were acting to change two peoples' fates. They each held up a hand._

"_Hitomi…" Folken whispered._

"_Allen…" Eriya muttered in reply, as though she wished she could lovingly whisper Folken's name instead._

_Hitomi had the feeling that she knew what was going on here. Was this that awful day? When Van's confession of love had turned into a plea for help, causing her to slap him and run away? Then she had…_

_The two actors held hands under the watchful eye of Dornkirk. He had the feeling that Folken's latest plan would be a success, but only time would tell._

"_Turning… Turning… The wheels of fate are turning… And now, everything begins…"_

_The two stepped closer to each other._

"_Strengthen your feelings…"_

"_Allen…" Eriya muttered again._

"_Elemental particles of fate accelerating!" a technician reported._

"_Target value cleared!" another technician replied._

"_Now, let me see the power that fate has over human hearts…" Dornkirk whispered._

_Folken put his hand on Eriya's shoulder and Hitomi had a flash of Allen doing the same thing somewhere far away…_

"_Hitomi…" Folken whispered to Eriya._

"_Elemental particles decreasing…" A technician announced to everyone in the room's annoyance._

"_Clear your mind of worldly thoughts, Eriya. And try to think of me… With all of your heart…" Folken whispered to the catgirl. It was obvious to Hitomi that Eriya was having no problem thinking of him. It was pretending to be another woman and knowing that to Folken this was just an operation. The most painful reality was that once this was over, he'd never act this way towards her again._

"_Lord Folken… I…"_

"_I know it's hard, but think of me…"_

"_But Lord Folken…" Eriya whispered in objection, blush creeping up her cheeks._

"_The fate accelerator has reached critical!" A technician reported._

"_Hitomi…"_

"_Allen…"_

_Dornkirk and the others watched silently as the two drew closer and Naria watched anxiously. Then, Folken and Eriya passionately kissed. Lightning cracked and Hitomi sensed that this was the beginning of the end._

"_Yes! The beginning of a new fate!" Dornkirk cried above the storm._

_But then, she saw herself, kissing Allen in Asturia. On that cursed bridge that ruined her chances with Van… And she saw Van… His gravity-defying hair plastered down by the rain. She couldn't tell if it was raindrops or tears that coursed down his face as he ran away. Ran away from Hitomi Kanzaki, the girl from the Mystic Moon who was in love with Allen Schezar…_

End Vision

The next thing Hitomi knew, it was the following morning and she was being awakened by a relentless pounding on the door.

"LADY HITOMI!"

The chirping birds and the sunlight seeping through the window held her attention for a moment before she went to see what was going on outside her door.

"I'm coming; I'm coming!" she murmured into her pillow. So it hadn't just been a bad dream. Today was her wedding day. And she wasn't marrying Van.

She threw on a silver robe that had presumably been Naria's and opened the door.

"Good morning. Or is it?" She greeted the man, yawning.

"It's your wedding day! **Most** people would be happy!" A woman pushed her way through the door and began to make the bed.

"Huh?" Hitomi asked in confusion as the woman intruded and the man looked helpless, shrugging his shoulders.

"Hello. My name is Yuushi. This is my wife, Ari. I'm a Dragonslayer and she is your handmaiden. She's supposed to get you ready before the big event. I am to escort you to breakfast and show you around the Vione before the ceremony."

"I still don't understand… How can we be on the Vione? I was there… I saw it sink beneath the waves!" Hitomi muttered.

"Well, it was recovered, repaired, and now everything is more or less how it was."

"And the Dragonslayers… I saw them die! All of them…"

"Yes, my predecessors did, unfortunately, die. In fact, I am the younger brother of Chesta. Perhaps you've heard of him?"

"No; I only knew of Migel…"

"Well, no matter. My comrades and I are now soldiers under Lord Dilandau's command. We are just as strong and loyal as the first slayers. I believe that we do them proud." They walked down the hallway and entered a crowded room containing about fifty Zaibachans sitting around.

"May I present to you, Lady Hitomi Kanzaki, Lord Folken's fiancée…" Hitomi blinked stupidly, looking around in bewilderment as her face turned red to be in this room, surrounded by intimidating, important people of Zaibach, in her bathrobe.

"Damn it, Yuushi! I'm going to get you for this…" She hissed at him as he tried to keep from laughing at her predicament. He was going to enjoy being around this girl.

She was seated at the side of Folken, whose lips were curling in amusement as he sipped his drink. Yukari sat diagonally across from her, Dilandau directly across, and Yuushi on her other side. She stared at her plate. There was some sort of meat, next to what looked like eggs, in front of what appeared to be toast. There was a silver goblet filled with something that slightly resembled milk. It looked okay, but Hitomi knew that things were not always as they appeared on Gaea. She couldn't even count the number of times she'd eaten a bug or drank some far-too-strong wine, not knowing what it was at the time. She took a bite out of the meat and chewed it thoughtfully. It wasn't half bad.

"Oh Hitomi, I'm so glad you like poached dragon meat, not many foreigners appreciate it!" Ari beamed at her. Hitomi gagged and moved on to the eggs.

"Dragon eggs are quite a delicacy around here." She took a swig of milk.

"And what's this? Dragon's milk?" Hitomi asked, about ready to puke.

"No, that's just milk from a cow. Where else would we get it from?" Ari looked at her mistress in confusion.

"I guess the Mystic Moon bitch doesn't like dragons… Oh wait, that's not right… I'm sure she got pretty cozy with Van a few times." The adonis smirked as her face turned red and she bit into her toast, relieved when Ari didn't comment on its origins.

"Yeah Hitomi! Don't be such a baby!" Yukari hiccuped, downing a goblet of wine as Dilandau ignored her.

"Did you give her wine with her breakfast?" Hitomi asked Dilandau in disbelief.

"I thought it would loosen her up a bit. She's a frigid bitch." Dilandau commented casually.

"Yukari, you're drunk…" Hitomi explained to her formerly-sober friend patiently.

"Whutareu," HICCUP , "talkin' 'bout?" Yukari demanded in a slurred drawl.

"Folken!" Hitomi pleaded with the dark angel to do something.

"Dilandau… Your fiancée doesn't look well. Perhaps you should take her to the medical bay…" Folken recommended emotionlessly.

"Leave her be. She's fine." Dilandau murmured disinterestedly, downing his remaining Vino. Apparently Yukari wasn't the only one who needed to "loosen up" before the wedding.

"As you wish." Folken muttered, slight annoyance slipping into his voice.

"Bastard…" Hitomi hissed at the general with eyes the color of wine, knowing that this was entirely his fault.

"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me, Bitch…" He smirked at her triumphantly.

_Where did he learn that? It's from Earth…_ Hitomi wondered to herself.

"This one must have said that a billion times," Dilandau gestured at Yukari, as though he could read her thoughts. She was giggling stupidly, leaning against Dilandau's shoulder.

Folken stood up and everyone followed suit.

"The wedding is at noon. I expect everyone to be present." He exited and Hitomi decided that now was the best time to return to her chamber. Ari quickly followed her new mistress.

"Here, Miss," she said as they entered the room, handing Hitomi what appeared to be a candy bar.

"Oh, Ari! Thank you!" Hitomi squealed, gobbling down the candy like it was the first piece of food she'd seen in years.

"Oh, it's nothing, Miss," Ari blushed at the praise.

"You can't live on toast alone, you know…"

"You sure can't," Hitomi agreed with her, licking off the remainder of chocolate crumbs left on the wrapper.

"Where did you get it anyway?"

"Oh, when we stop in Asturia we're allowed to visit the bazaar in Palas. I've found all sorts of things there. That's just one of them. I heard Lady Yukari shrieking about it this morning and I hoped you would like it."

"At least **someone** here is nice to me…" Hitomi murmured, falling onto Naria's bed.

"You mustn't be so hard on Lord Folken, Milady. Running an empire isn't easy, you know."

"Folken is the Emperor of Zaibach?" Hitomi whispered in disbelief. That explained a lot.

"That he is, and right good one too." Ari confirmed Hitomi's assumption.

"Emperor Dornkirk was killed… I suppose right after you left, Lady. Some king, maybe Fanelia's? I don't remember… Killed him. Sliced him right down the middle with that sword of his, they say. Then he took off in a white dragon back to his demolished kingdom. Imagine that! Going home knowing that your entire country had been burned to the ground and you hadn't a friend left in the world? I can't picture it…" She shuddered before continuing.

"Well, before the emperor was killed, the military attacked Asturia during one of their council meetings. Wiped pretty much all of them out. King Van was outside; he didn't wish to participate in the proceedings, and he was, as you know, spared. Currently, Zaibach has control of every country on Gaea except Fanelia. That's their main target now. It's easy to see that the people of Asturia aren't happy to be under Lord Folken's control. All the Ally troops and leaders left are trying to lead a rebellion in Asturia to wipe our men out. No hope though. There aren't enough of them. Lord Folken seemed to be the best candidate at the time, so he got the job as Emperor. Lord Dilandau acts as the surrogate king of Asturia, primarily. Lord Folken hasn't got the time, with his duties and all."

"So that's why they brought us here. They needed wives so that they could have heirs to the thrones of Asturia and Zaibach. It makes sense I guess."

"Ari," Hitomi began urgently, although she pretty much knew what the answer would be before she even asked the question. "Who **won** the Destiny War?"

"Who **won**, Miss? Nobody knows that. As I was just explaining, the war's still going strong. It has been for more than two years!"

"Oh…" Hitomi muttered dejectedly. She began to sob softly, hugging her knees to her chest. "Why won't they stop fighting? I don't want to see it anymore…" she whispered.

"There, there, Lady…" Ari patted her reassuringly on the shoulder. "Both sides believe strongly in their cause. Those who fight are willing to die for it."

"But why? Why do they all have to die? Is there a reason?"

"They're fighting to protect us…" Ari replied with little enthusiasm, as though she'd been told that many a time, but still didn't believe it.

Flashback

"_Come on, Hitomi! We're fighting to protect you and everyone else!" Van told her._

End of Flashback

"Yuushi fights alongside Lord Dilandau. He's still alive." Ari said, hope eminent in her voice that her husband would remain unharmed.

"Lady Hitomi!" The boy in question burst in.

"What is it?" Ari asked her husband in annoyance.

"It's eleven! You have barely two hours until the wedding! I **suggest** that you **get moving**!"

"I thought that the wedding wasn't until tonight!" Hitomi exclaimed.

"They moved it to this afternoon because Lord Dilandau and Lord Folken are needed on the battlefield early tomorrow morning to meet the enemy forces. They need their rest." The man exited the room as Hitomi cursed him to hell and back.

"Oh no! We must hurry!" Ari pushed Hitomi into the bathroom and started running hot water into the marble bathtub, pouring bath salts in.

"Well! What are you waiting for? We haven't got all day!"

"Do I have to?" Hitomi pleaded, her face as red as a lobster.

"Yes! Hurry up!" Ari commanded.

"Okay…" Hitomi muttered, slowly taking off her garments and immediately covering herself with a fluffy gray towel.

"We're both women here. This won't do." Ari declared, pushing Hitomi into the tub.

"GAH!" The girl shrieked as she plunged in headfirst.

The towel floated away and she feebly attempted to retrieve it. With no success, she sighed, submersing herself beneath the bubbles. Ari began to scrub her hair and it seemed like only seconds before her hair was dry and she was squeezing into a white lacey wedding dress as Ari applied her makeup. She eyed herself in the mirror and a few tears escaped her emerald eyes.

_So this is it. I'm getting married to the boy I love's brother… The brother that's fighting against him… The brother that's ten years older than me… The brother that betrayed his friends and his country. Oh Van… I wish you were here._

"Now, now, Lady. Your makeup's smearing." Ari scolded Hitomi, ushering her into the throne room where the ceremony was to take place.

Yukari was dressed in similar attire with a rather sick look on her face, as though she had just realized the predicament they were in. She said something that Hitomi couldn't hear over the uproar of the crowd, but could still understand perfectly.

"What about Amano?"

Folken and Dilandau stood by an elderly priest who looked like he wished he was dead by now. Hitomi and Yukari walked solemnly down the red-carpeted aisle. It was then that Hitomi noticed that Dilandau hadn't changed and Folken was in ceremonial armor like Van's. Just like Van's… Tears filled her eyes in plain view as the spectators sighed happily over her "tears of joy." She was filled with fury. How dare this traitor dress like Fanelia's good king? He was unworthy of the same surname. She then noticed that they had reached the men and seeing Yukari visibly shudder, she grabbed her gloved hand reassuringly. Folken and Dilandau kneeled and the girls followed suit.

"On this day in Lord Folken's twenty-seventh year and Lord Dilandau's seventeenth year, we shall join our emperor and our elite forces commander with the seeress of the Allies and her companion, both of the Mystic Moon." Gasps of shock came from the guests at the girls' origins before the priest could continue.

"Do you accept them as your own? Do you promise to protect them and care for them? Do you take them to be your wives, Lord Folken and Lord Dilandau? Accepting them as new children of Zaibach and recognizing their children as your successors?"

"In body and in blood, we swear it…" They muttered their consent. Hitomi thought it was strange that love was never mentioned in these vows. Apparently love had little to do with marriage in Zaibach.

"And do you, Lady Hitomi and Lady Yukari, take these men to be your husbands? To honor, respect, and obey them? To support them in their times of trouble and bear their heirs? Thereby pledging you to this country and its inhabitants?"

"No… I can't! I won't! You can't make me!" Yukari protested as she rose, glaring at Dilandau. If looks could kill, he'd certainly be dead.

"Oh, I can't, can I?" Dilandau asked smugly, turning to Folken.

"Lord Folken, may I have this wench as my wife?"

"Yes Dilandau, she is yours…" Folken replied in a frustrated tone. He didn't like getting caught in the middle of all of this.

"Thank you, Emperor." Dilandau smirked at the red-head.

"I won't." Yukari repeated.

"You have no choice in the matter!" Dilandau hissed at her. The crowd was getting restless by now. What was going on?

"Well, you can't be wed without agreement on both sides." The priest stated the obvious.

"We will marry you…" Hitomi whispered regretfully. "In body and in blood…"

"Hitomi! What are you saying?! We don't belong here with these bastards! We should be at home with our friends and family!"

"Yukari, we have no choice…" Hitomi whispered sadly, lowering her head as she pulled her friend back into a kneel. She still shuddered from her earlier conversation with Ari. Why did she have to ask?

Flashback

"_And what if we refuse to marry them?" Hitomi asked, frustrated by their situation._

_Ari's look turned serious and her eyes gazed at her sadly._

"_Then you will be put to death. Such is the fate of those who refuse the leaders of Zaibach…"_

End of Flashback

"I will marry Emperor Folken and Yukari will marry Lord Dilandau. This is how it shall be." Hitomi could never forget the look of sadness and betrayal on Yukari's face as she said those painful words, oblivious to the rest of the people in the room.

_Yukari… Please don't hate me. I can't stand to see anyone else I love die… _Hitomi thought silently, trying to ignore her friend's hostile looks in her direction.

"I now pronounce you wed. You may kiss the brides." They shared a joyless kiss. It held no endearment. Hitomi felt numb.

Later that night, she looked out her window gazing at the stars, wondering if Van was thinking of her. She wished she was there with him instead of here. As she doused her candle and climbed into Naria's bed for the last time, she reflected on the fact that she was no longer Hitomi Kanzaki, the girl from the Mystic Moon. She was Hitomi Kanzaki de Fanel, Empress of Zaibach…

A/N: Well, I hope you guys liked this chapter. Expect an update in a week or maybe in a few days if a get a bunch of reviews.

Next Time On "Tears of the Heart":

_He clenched his fists in fury, his eyes glowing with rage.  
"FOLKEN!" He screamed, frightening the birds from their rooftop perch. The traitor. The scoundrel. If Dilandau was truly a demon, Folken had to be the devil himself. How could the brother he'd once played with, the brother he'd once idolized, the brother he'd missed and cried over when he hadn't come home, be the one that had plunged the world into chaos? He swore that he would make him sorry. He'd make his brother so very sorry for what he'd done._


	4. The Lonely King

Disclaimer: I do not own "The Vision of Escaflowne," flashbacks from the series, or any of its characters. I also do not own "Hurt" by Johnny Cash. I do, however, own all of my original characters.

A/N: This is a chapter that has been forcefully requested, so here it is… Van's point of view now that everyone's gone… How does he feel about Hitomi? How does he feel about the untimely deaths of Merle and his other friends? How does he feel about the war and Fanelia's prospects? Read and find out… And yes, I know that the song is sung by a woman, but I think it really gets the point of this chapter across, so bear with me…

I'm sorry if I missed any reviews… It's late. I'm sooooo tired and my brain is on "off" so bear with me and please don't get mad if I didn't mention you…

TennyoAngel711- Well, read this chapter and your wish may be granted… Will it be F/H or V/H? Only time will tell…

Lovin Vegeta- Your wish may also be granted in this chapter… I'm sorry that these are so short. I find that it's more likely they'll be read if they're shorter because people don't get so easily bored of the endless pages they have to read… But that's just my opinion. Dilandau and Yukari… A match made in heaven or in hell? Only time will tell… Thanks for reading!

Harmony- I love Folkie too, but he's a bad boy… Dilly is rather cruel to Yukari I must say and it will get worse before it gets better… Thanks for reading!

Esca chick- When I was writing this, I really was torn between which pairing to use. But I think that **most** of you will be satisfied with the conclusion…

BlueDreamer- It could be a V/H, it could not be… I could have Van rescue Hitomi, I could not… I'm not telling… Read the chapter and you may be interested by the conclusion… Thanks for reading!

Coolchick1500- Yeah, I'm sorry to say that Dilly is not a class-A husband… But he's such a hot-tempered cutie! Kinda reminds me of Van except Van isn't as blood thirsty… Gaea is not paradise as it's plain to see from past chapters as well as this one. And obviously from the series, it hasn't been that great for quite some time… I know that V/H are adorable together and I whole-heartedly agree, but I just wanted to see if I could do this… You may be surprised how it turns out.

Ah-Young- I'm glad that you like the fic! I'm sorry I had to kill everyone, but it was necessary for the angsty atmosphere…

Allen: How can I be here if you killed me? At the moment, Folken and Dilandau could care less about Hitomi and Yukari, as they commented on in chapter 2, they're being forced into this. Gaea is in turmoil and pretty much a wasteland at this point. That's what almost three years of war does. Hitomi and Van's mental link? Read the chapter and it will cover it…

Nagi-chan- You may change your mind about the whole F/H thing, but I must admit, the V/H prospects look good… But things change over time… I thought the breakfast encounter was amusing; I just couldn't resist… Anyway, thanks for being so supportive Nagi-chan, you are such a good best friend!

DT- Poor Hitomi, indeed… You just gave me an idea for a future chapter title, thanks!

EmpressMish- Folken is so cool, who couldn't help but like him? V/H are the classic Esca couple though… I can't answer the "wedding night" thing… You'll have to keep reading, but I'll just tell you that this night they will not be sleeping together or anything… Right now, they really can't stand each other's presence. I hope that it isn't too rushed; I tend to do that… But I'm glad you like it! I hope that you keep reading!

Fontina Blu Cent- I'm glad you like it, Katie-chan!

Xelena- You have a very good grasp on the whole Hitomi thing although I forgot to add that part in. I think most of us hope that Hitomi and Folken will learn to love each other, but only time will tell. Dilly is rather cruel, but hey, he's Dilly… I couldn't make him all sappy and romantic; it just would be weird… Gaea is destroyed, but perhaps there is hope.

Emerald Mist- Sorry Dilly's so mean to Yukari. It may improve, you never know… Gaea's ruined, but hopefully someone will fix it. I think that everyone will know who I'm talking about eventually… It could be F/H, it could be V/H, it could be both, you never know… I'm glad that you like it; thanks for reading!

Tokara- I like talking to the readers about what they have to say. If you review, you should be answered… I'm glad that you're enjoying it; thanks for reading!

Arsinoe- Thanks so much… I'm glad that you like the fic! So far, I haven't got any flames so, so far so good. I'll try to update it as frequently as I can!

Avalon- I'm glad that you're enjoying it… I hope that you like the whole F/H for the moment 'cause there's no telling how long it will last… Thanks so much for reading!

Ice-cold- We all need romances… I read nothing but romances… It could be V/H, it could not, I'm not telling… Thanks for reading!

Makoto Almasy- I'm glad that you liked it. I think if you take the time to review I should take the time to respond and rarely with an exception for one of my other fic's reviewers who will go unnamed, I don't find any rudeness in reviews I get, yours included. Poor Yukari is right… Folken and Hitomi's "love" life is a question that will be answered in the next few chapters…

Eunc- Here's a Van chapter for you… Dilandau and Yukari are a weird match. I'd like to challenge others to find them paired or write their own fic with that as a pairing. I'd like to have something to read so that I could see if I'm portraying it alright, but I have nothing to turn to… Van and Hitomi may or may not be reunited… I like Yuushi, but he's my character, so I guess I have to like him. I'm glad that I'm not alone… You're very hopeful for V/H, aren't you? Well, you'll have to wait and see… Thanks for reading!

**Tears of the Heart**

_I hurt myself today  
To see if I still feel  
I focus on the pain  
The only thing that's real  
The needle tears a hole  
The old familiar sting  
Try to kill it all away  
But I remember everything _

What have I become  
My sweetest friend  
Everyone I know goes away  
In the end  
And you could have it all  
My empire of dirt  
I will let you down  
I will make you hurt

I wear this crown of thorns  
Upon my liar's chair  
Full of broken thoughts  
I cannot repair  
Beneath the stains of time  
The feelings disappear  
You are someone else  
I am still right here 

What have I become  
My sweetest friend  
Everyone I know goes away  
In the end  
And you could have it all  
My empire of dirt  
I will let you down  
I will make you hurt

If I could start again  
A million miles away  
I would keep myself  
I would find a way

-"Hurt" by Johnny Cash

Chapter 4: The Lonely King

Flashback

"_Why is fighting the only thing you can think about?" The green-eyed girl interrupted the men's war strategies._

"_Come on, Hitomi… We're fighting to protect you and everyone else." He tried to reason with her._

"_But I can see now, Van, that you enjoy the fighting…" He and everyone else gasped at her accusation._

"_I really don't want you to protect me if that's what it does to you… I'm sick of it… I'm sick of this whole world…"_

"_Hitomi!" he pleaded with her._

"_Please, someone, send me back to my world!" Her pendant glowed brightly as a blue column of light engulfed her and she rose into the air._

"_HITOMI!" he and Allen shrieked in unison, running after her to no avail. The girl from the Mystic Moon was gone._

"_DAMN IT!" Van yelled in rage. Striking his fists against the stone railing and scraping the skin off part of his hand . Ignoring the bleeding, he continued to curse and rant._

"_DAMN YOU, FANEL! DAMN YOU! WHY DID YOU LET THIS HAPPEN! YOU IDIOT! I HATE YOU!" Van yelled at himself, as everyone, except Allen, was becoming frightened of the unstable king and fled back inside the castle. The knight stood there, patiently listening, the young king not aware of his presence._

"_YOU TOLD YOURSELF THAT YOU WERE GOING TO ASK HER! SO WHAT HAPPENED?! NOW SHE'S GONE AND YOU'LL NEVER SEE HER AGAIN! YOU MORON! HOW COULD YOU LET THIS HAPPEN?! IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!" He fell to the ground in frustration, in agony, not knowing he had voiced his inner battle aloud._

"_I love her…" He whispered._

"_So the truth finally comes out…" Allen observed quietly._

_Van rose up from where he stood, fire blazing in his eyes as he glared at the knight. He then spread his wings, diving off the balcony and flying away from the place where his life had changed for the worse once more…_

End of Flashback

Van awoke from his horrible nightmare. The worst part was that it wasn't just some horror created by his subconscious; it had happened. All of it. Where was Hitomi now? He felt betrayed even though he knew that her departure was his fault. But why did she have to just leave like that? Curse her infernal pendant. He grabbed the thing that hung around his neck, the pendant in question. How had he come to own this cursed object? He had been in the gardens one night, thinking of her, as always, when it had landed in his hand, glowing brightly, nearly burning him with its warmth. Although he despised it and cursed it, it hung around his neck as a reminder of the girl he missed more with each passing day and hoped to see again, despite the unlikely odds. At night he was haunted by the horrors of the past, in the day he lived them. He couldn't escape.

It was gone… All of it… Everything… It had been erased from the pages of time, as though it had never happened. He alone knew. Did anyone else know what it felt like to be so alone? Van Fanel didn't think so.

_Merle… Allen… Millerna… Dryden… Why? Have the gods done this to punish me for my arrogance? Why did they suffer for my faults? _He cringed, but he wouldn't cry. Kings of Fanelia didn't cry. Kings of Fanelia were strong. Perhaps he was not a true king of Fanelia… He shut his eyes tightly. He wouldn't cry. He hadn't cried for 10 years. He wouldn't cry now. He hadn't cried when Merle was lowered into her eternal rest in the moist earth. He hadn't shed a tear. Maybe it was because he had seen the bloody and torn-apart corpses of his friends where the castle in Palas had been just moments before the explosion. He had seen Folken run out. He had wondered where he was going. Then the place had blown sky high. And Van knew. He was running away. Like a coward. Apparently, nothing had changed. He had snarled as he was blown away from where he stood and landed smartly on the ground. A few cuts and bruises, but no worse for wear. He had seen the smoldering inferno and the charred remains of his friends and companions scattered about the once grassy hills, which had been singed to the point where only dirt remained. He wondered why he had been spared. But why wonder? He knew…

Flashback

"_Van, you have to attend the council meeting!" Allen chided in annoyance._

"_No, I don't." Van replied simply, cleaning his sword of its scratches and bloodstains._

"_Van… It's because of her, isn't it?"_

_Van's eyes widened a bit, which Allen noticed, inwardly smirking._

"_And who, pray tell, do you speak of?"_

"_Stop playing games, Van. You know rightfully well who I'm talking about. Hitomi! It always __**has**__ been Hitomi! It always __**will**__ be Hitomi! You love her. I think the only one who hasn't realized that is you."_

"_I feel nothing for her." Van lied in annoyance, brushing off Allen's remark._

"_You lie, Van Fanel. And lying is not fit for a King of Fanelia."_

"_I don't lie, Allen. She's more of a nuisance than anything else." Van replied coolly._ "_She's a friend, nothing more. And she's gone now, so that's the end of it."_

"_Van… Face it… She's more than a friend. She loves you. I know you can see her, Van Fanel. But do you __**see**__ her? Do you see how her eyes sparkle when you look at her, how her lips curl into a smile when you speak? She loves you and I know that the feeling is mutual. I tried so hard to make Hitomi love me. I thought that was what I wanted. Now I realize that I saw my little sister in her. I just wanted to protect her as I failed to protect Selena. I know now that my feelings for her were nothing more than an infatuation. What you feel for her, Van. That's something real. I won't stand in your way any longer."_

"_So where do I go from here?" Van asked softly, since denial obviously wasn't fooling the knight._

"_To the Mystic Moon…"_

"_Huh?" Van asked, looking at the knight in confusion._

"_Bring her back, Van. Bring her back and make her queen of Fanelia. I think that she would like that." He placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, walking away._

"_I'll tell them that you're unwell. Think about what I said." Allen called over his shoulder as Van shook his head in amusement. Allen Schezar was a romantic all right. There was doubt about that._

_Van looked out through his window. The sun was setting. He hated being trapped in this stuffy castle. He remembered when he had been able to go off in the woods in Fanelia at sunset when the stars were just beginning to appear. How the breeze had tossed his hair and the trees swayed as the fragrance of fresh grass and flowers had filled the air. Then, he had turned fifteen. There was no time for traipsing about the fields anymore; it was time to get to work. To get Fanelia in order and prepare for the rite of dragonslaying so that he could __**finally**__ become king. Not that he wanted to. It was Folken's fault. If he hadn't run away, he could have done something meaningful with his life. He would make a far better soldier than a king. When he left the meetings, unbeknownst to his council, he did not retire as he told them. He flew from his window and roamed the fields, as he was accustomed to. Not even they could deprive him of this. _

_He smiled in spite of himself, his reveries providing a solution to his dilemma. He pulled off his red tunic; Merle would kill him if he tore up another. With a small grunt of pain, he unfurled his wings. Heavenly white feathers swirled around him as he threw open the window, leaping out into the night sky and soaring on the winds that carried him gently with their gusts. The sky was like a dark blanket, scattered with jewels, which shone brighter than the brightest candle. The Mystic Moon and its own moon hung in the sky, as though taunting him. He growled, clenching his fists and propelling forward. _

_He landed with ease beneath a large willow. He sat down, leaning against the trunk, wondering what to do. Go to the Mystic Moon and try to convince Hitomi that he wasn't a total jerk and get her to come back? Forget about Hitomi and end the war as soon as possible? Stay with Hitomi and forget his own world? The choice was obvious, but could he do it? He massaged his forehead with his hand in frustration. Why did she have to leave like that? Did she purposely __**try**__ to make his life more difficult than it already was? Why did he have to feel about her the way that he did? Why did he have to love her? _

"_Van…" she called to him, her green eyes sparkling. She was smiling at him, so endearingly, that he almost believed that she loved him in return._

"_Hitomi…" he muttered, shaking his head of his vision._

"_I'm coming for you…" He stood up, staring at the Mystic Moon intently, as though trying to will her to return to him. It was then that he saw an angel. But something was wrong. The angel had black wings. He was flying away. It was Folken. Where was he going? He felt extreme heat from behind him and turned around only to be blasted away as flames engulfed what had once been the beautiful Asturian capital of Palas. Now Palas was an inferno filled with the shrieks of the dying being burned alive. And as he sank into unconsciousness, Van's mind was filled with one relentless thought that overtook his very being._

_Folken… How could you? Then the world went black._

End of Flashback

He clenched his fists in fury, his eyes glowing with rage.  
"FOLKEN!" He screamed, frightening the birds from their rooftop perch. The traitor. The scoundrel. If Dilandau was truly a demon, Folken had to be the devil himself. How could the brother he'd once played with, the brother he'd once idolized, the brother he'd missed and cried over when he hadn't come home, be the one that had plunged the world into chaos? He swore that he would make him sorry. He'd make his brother so very sorry for what he'd done.

He sighed in frustration. Folken was Emperor of a much mightier country than his own. A frontal assault would be suicide and he knew it. But he knew he had to avenge their deaths… The untimely ends of Merle, Allen, Millerna, Dryden, and all the others who had died while he had lived. Why couldn't he have died by their sides? Why for that one time had Merle not tagged along after him? Why hadn't Allen skipped the meeting to talk with him about his prospects with Hitomi? Why hadn't Millerna and Dryden gone on a honeymoon like a normal married couple? And why had Hitomi left? His heart told him that if she had not left when she did, he and she both would also have perished. But wouldn't it be better to die in the arms of the one you loved rather than live a life of loneliness and regret? He was sure of it.

He wondered where she was now. Was she happy? Had she found someone who was more worthy of her love than he was? Did she ever think of him and wonder what could have been like he did every night as she haunted his dreams and nightmares? He hoped that she hadn't forgotten him. But with the way he'd acted, he was sure that the last thing she'd ever want was memories of Van Fanel racing through her mind. She was probably married by now. She had said that customs were different on her planet, but they couldn't be **that** different. Hitomi was approaching the deep-end of marital age for a woman. In Fanelia, she'd practically be an old maid. Not as though he'd think of her that way. She was always so young and vibrant. Childish even. It was a nice break from reality where boys were made kings. Stupid, selfish boys who didn't want to become king in the first place. He longed for the life Hitomi described with a loud, kind family in a peaceful town, free of war. But that all seemed like a fairytale now.

Life had dealt him a bad hand, and he tried to deal with it the best that he could, but he always seemed to come up with the short end of the stick. All he had left was a demolished kingdom, a handful of people too weak and ill to help him rebuild, the graves of the many people in his life that were now gone, and bittersweet memories of the girl who'd left him behind two long years ago.

He stared up at the Mystic Moon in the star-studded sky and thought he could practically see her. He smiled faintly; hoping that life had treated her more kindly than it had treated him. After she left, he hadn't been able to use the pendant to contact her. Why, he had no idea… He felt a strong heat on his chest and looked down to see her familiar pinkish-red pendant. It was glowing…

_But why…? _

It was then that he saw the column of blue light descend far in the distance.

_Could it be…?_

He saw a dark shadow descend from it. It was too far away to make out, but his heart told him who it was.

"HITOMI!" He exclaimed in happiness as his wings unfurled once more and he flew off into the night sky. He had lost her once; it was time to bring her home, once and for all…

A/N: Cliffhanger in a way, I guess… I like to heat up the battle between you V/H fans and the F/H fans… I have to admit I like V/H more, but I obviously think F/H works too or I wouldn't be writing this fic, now would I? I'm sorry that it was so short. After awhile you tend to run out of Van thoughts since he tends to be repetitive with grunts, curses, and cute forlorn looks. Anyway, I'd like to thank all of you for your support of this fic that I thought would fall through the first couple chapters and I had originally planned on deleting… Once again, the reviewers prove me wrong. I originally planned to only make this 10 chapters long, but you reviewers wanted a Van perspective, so I decided to add it in and a couple of other chapters that I wanted but had deleted because I wanted a nice even number of chapters.

Next Time On "Tears of the Heart":

_Hitomi shook with rage as she attacked him, shrieking wildly. He easily defeated her, pinning her to the wall in a similar fashion and whispering in her ear so that no one else could eavesdrop._

"_I don't know what you're up to, even though I know you're up to something. But I assure you that I'll find out, one way or another… And just remember, Girl… If anything happens to your little friend, you're my new toy…" He released her, letting her sink to the floor as he glided away, leaving her to comfort his unfortunate wife._


	5. Love and Betrayal

Disclaimer: I don't own Escaflowne. Think how angsty it would be if I did… I do, however, own any original characters. I also don't own any flashbacks from the series, any Escaflowne characters, or "We Could Still Belong Together" by Lisa Loeb.

A/N: I wanted to get one more chapter of this out before school starts next week. The readers of my other fics are going to hate me because I ignore them so much… I was **really** surprised. You awesome readers rose to the challenge… I got 67 reviews! A Vione chapter, as requested by my bestest friend Nagi-chan! I was really worried everyone would lose interest in the fic if I added the Van chapter, but I just didn't feel like there was any closure to what was going on elsewhere on Gaea. To my surprise and delight, pretty much everything seemed to approve of it and didn't abandon the fic. I got to see Fushigi Yuugi today! I'm so happy! It was great! Anyway, thanks for all the positive vibes. I appreciate it. The next chapter will come out sometime in the middle of September probably… I'm working on several fics right now. The sad thing is, most of them will end at the same time… Now here goes chapter 5, for all you awesome reviewers… I find that the more reviews I get, the more pressed for time I feel, so unless I have some extra time, I will be unable to reply individually to reviews. I still love you, but wouldn't you rather have the next chapter of the fic than me saying, "thanks" to every person who reviews individually?

**Tears of the Heart**

_If I hold my breath  
If I shut my eyes  
If I disappear  
Just for the afternoon_

If I can't help shouting  
If I lock you out  
If it's not important  
Completely unimportant  
To anyone else but me

We could still belong together  
And together is much better  
We're okay so hey don't worry now  
Oh wow

If I interrupt and  
If I cut you off and  
If I like attention  
Other worse things I could mention

We could still belong together  
And together is much better  
We're okay so hey don't worry now  
Oh wow

_We could still belong together  
And together is much better  
We're okay so hey don't worry now  
Oh wow_

But if you make a mistake  
We're through

We could still belong together  
And together is much better  
We're okay so hey don't worry now  
Oh wow

_We could still belong together  
And together is much better  
We're okay so hey don't worry now  
Oh wow_

Oh wow.

Yes I complicate I know  
It's just my way but  
If is a question  
That I ask and nothing more.

-"We Could Still Belong Together" by Lisa Loeb

Chapter 5: Love and Betrayal

It had been over a month since the wedding. Over a month since the girls had been home on their own planet. Over a month since they had sold their souls to murderers to save their wretched lives. Over a month since they had betrayed Van and Amano…

Hitomi wandered about the Vione aimlessly, apologizing to people as she bumped into them. She was so miserable. Folken didn't love her. He didn't want anything to do with her. He ignored her completely. If Folken's council thought that an heir was coming anytime soon, they were sadly mistaken. Yukari had the opposite problem. Dilandau was constantly dragging her back to their room. She could only shudder when she thought about what went on in there. It was obvious when she saw Yukari's pale, tear-stained face and Dilandau's smirks whenever their paths crossed.

Yukari wasn't strong enough to fight him off. Neither Hitomi or Yukari were very muscular. On Earth they had always been at track practice, school, home, on the subway, or at each other's houses. It's not like they had been doing weight training since they were five like Yuushi. Heck, even Ari was stronger than them and she was just a maid! It was kind of pathetic…

Hitomi had decided that they needed to buff up a bit and frequently dragged Yukari to the Dragonslayers' gym where they sparred and jogged around in circles until they were so dizzy and tired that they couldn't stand up straight. The Dragonslayers gave them odd looks and Yuushi just grinned as he nearly had his head cut off, forgetting that he was in the middle of a fight whenever the girls came in. They tried to do what the slayers did. Not nearly as strenuous as how they performed their exercises, or as well for that matter, but they did what they could. Which, in Hitomi's opinion, wasn't nearly enough.

Their plan was that after a few months of training, they'dbe able to overpower the guards garrisoned at the guymelef hangar. They'd steal a guymelef, fly to Fanelia, Van and Hitomi would be reunited, and they'd figure out a way to get Yukari back to Earth. It was a far-fetched plan, but desperate times called for desperate measures.

Whenever Hitomi was knocked on her backside, which, to her embarrassment, tended to happen a lot, Yuushi would be there laughing away until she bowled him over. Then the room would fill with laughter at the second-in-command's dazed expression and the fact that a lady had put him in that position.

Dilandau often came in and flopped down in his throne, surveying his troops and stroking the stone lion next to him thoughtfully. Sometimes he would enter and begin to train alongside his men and the girls. He obviously had not become so strong and fearsome by sitting around. He outshined everyone in the room when he chose to participate in training exercises. Hitomi loathed him with a passion, but she had to admit, he was excellent with a sword. They'd stop and watch him in awe as his sword flew with ease, vanquishing soldier after soldier.

Yuushi, the most worthy opponent, was always last and you knew it was over when he was pinned to the wall and chirped, "Good show, Lord Dilandau"

On one occasion, he had challenged the girls to a match. They hastily declined, not only because they knew that they would be crushed, but because they liked to avoid him as much as possible, Yukari especially. Unfortunately, he wouldn't take "no" for an answer, and charged at Yukari. Frightened beyond belief, she lifted her sword, causing sparks to fly as the clashed.

"Nice, Pet." He drew back and slashed without mercy, driving her into the wall as he did to his men. He placed his sword to her neck, drawing a thin line of blood that he licked away as he trailed kisses down her neck and she shuddered. He then placed one elbow on each side of her head and pulled his body to hers, so there was barely an inch separating their faces. He examined her eyes, finding them full of fear. He had grown to like that on the battlefield, but despite his treatment of her, he still didn't enjoy it in her eyes.

"Calm yourself, Girl; I won't fuck you in public…" He hissed.

"I just need a little kiss…" His mouth smashed against hers as he plunged his tongue into her mouth. He closed his eyes, savoring her taste. She then sank her teeth into his tongue and he cried out in pain.

"BITCH!" He slapped her across the face as she fell to her knees sobbing.

Hitomi shook with rage as she attacked him, shrieking wildly. He easily defeated her, pinning her to the wall in a similar fashion and whispering in her ear so that no one else could eavesdrop.

"I don't know what you're up to, even though I know you're up to something. But I assure you that I'll find out, one way or another… And just remember, Girl… If anything happens to your little friend, you're my new toy…" He released her, letting her sink to the floor as he glided away, leaving her to comfort his unfortunate wife.

"I'm serious, Yukari, you have to stand up to that bastard!" Hitomi advised her friend in annoyance at her no-resistance attitude concerning Dilandau.

"Hitomi… What's the point? You see this black eye? Let's just say that I didn't run into a wall…" Yukari muttered, looking in her duffel bag for some concealer.

"He did this to you?" Hitomi knew that he was cruel, but she never knew that he was actually physically abusing his wife. "We've got to get you out of here. I'm miserable, but at least Folken never lays a hand on me." She shuddered at the thought. She recalled Dilandau's earlier words, but decided that he was bluffing. There was no way that he could screw around with the emperor's wife. That, at least, seemed to be an empty threat. But poor Yukari. What could she do to help her?

"I've **tried** to get along with him, Hitomi! I **really** have, but it's impossible. If I can never leave this place, then I at least want us to try to be happy. I want to feel like we were destined to be together or something like that, but I just don't think that's ever going to happen. I feel like I've been transported back to King Sharyar's Court, except I don't have any good stories to tell!"

"It's easy for you to stand there and say, 'Stand up to him,' because it's not you. At least you married the one who isn't addicted to sex. And you have no room to criticize me! You're the one who got me into this mess in the first place!" She looked at her angrily.

"I never wanted to see you get hurt, Yukari…" Hitomi said softly, regretting what she'd done. It was all her fault. If Yukari hadn't been her friend, they never would have taken her from her home. They would have had no interest in Yukari whatsoever. Probably the only reason they did pick her was because no one in Zaibach was brave enough to marry Dilandau.

"You didn't want to see me get **hurt**?! Look at me, Hitomi! He keeps me up all night every night! I can't take it anymore! I wish I were dead!" Hitomi looked disturbed by the outburst, which, until recently, had been very unlike Yukari.

"Hitomi, I'm not just hurt physically; I'm hurt mentally! I hate him… I hate how he treats me… I hate this world… I want to go home… I want my family… I want Amano…" She curled up in a ball and huddled in the corner sobbing.

"Yukari…" She whispered softly, not knowing how depressed her best friend really was. She'd been too busy with her own problems to consider how terrible things were for Yukari.

"I am so very sorry that I've hurt you like this. I will never forgive myself for the pain I've caused you." She hugged her friend tightly as the red-haired girl cried into her shoulder, cursing Dilandau to hell and back.

"And what about Amano, Hitomi? I'm damaged goods, now. He won't love me anymore…" Yukari whimpered.

"Yukari, if Amano doesn't still love you for the kind, amazing, thoughtful person that you are, then he doesn't deserve you." Hitomi replied, stroking Yukari's hair.

"Do you think I'll ever see him again, Hitomi?"

"I hope so, Yukari. I really do. I want nothing more now than for you to be happy."

"So… She's pining for her lover-boy back on the Mystic Moon..." Dilandau muttered in annoyance, eavesdropping on the two girls' conversation.

"Well, serves her right, the bitch… Weakling…" He walked away, trying to tell himself that he didn't give a damn about Yukari Uchida's feelings anyway. Trying.

"Ari…?" Hitomi asked, sitting in a chair on the Vione's metallic deck. She liked sitting there, watching the world go by beneath her. It was the prettiest place to be on the Vione since there were few windows to prevent raids and sabotage.

"Yes, Lady?" Ari asked, hanging some laundry on the railing.

"Tell me… What's Folken like? I mean, I barely know him and I've been married to him for what seems like forever. It's sad. I don't know his birthday or his favorite food or what he's interested in, or anything… I don't know my husband at all."

"That's right… You are clueless, aren't you?"

"Hey! Be fair now! It's not my fault! He locks himself in his study all day long! It isn't like I don't **try** to get him to talk to me. I'll say, 'hello,' he'll nod. Then I'll ask him how he is. He says, 'Fine.' Then I'll ask him what he's doing today and he says, 'Work.' Then I'll ask him if he'd like to do something with me and he says, 'Maybe some other time.' It's like that _every_ time…"

"Well… I do feel sorry for you…"

"Hey! I didn't ask for pity; I asked for help!" Hitomi shot back in annoyance at the maid's attitude.

"Alright, alright. Relax, Milady… Empresses of Zaibach should behave in a dignified manner at all times…"

"What about an Empresses of Zaibach who wishes that she were a Queen of Fanelia?" Hitomi asked wistfully, very downhearted about the reality of the subject.

"Lady! Don't speak of such things! If someone were to hear you, they would report you for treason! You'd be executed before you could curse Lord Dilandau!" Fear was eminent in Ari's eyes and Hitomi suddenly felt somewhat alarmed. They took this sort of thing pretty seriously in Zaibach.

"Lady Hitomi…" Ari said softly.

"When I was given the task of tending to you, I was deeply honored, as any servant would be. But I have sworn my allegiance to Emperor Folken. If you were to talk about him with murderous intentions, then I am obliged to report it. Lady Hitomi, if I hadn't judged you as an honorable wife and mother of Zaibach's heir, I would have turned you in a long time ago. I haven't said anything because, well, I like you and I like helping you. I don't want to see you die, Lady Hitomi. I've seen so many others die on this god-forsaken ship. If you were to die, my heart would break. Please don't break my heart, Lady Hitomi!" The maid's face was red from sobbing as she hugged Hitomi desperately.

"Ari…" Hitomi muttered sadly.

_Why do people have to like me? I'm a wretched friend, a horrible wife, and not fit to be a human being, much less to rule as Zaibach's Empress. Why didn't I take my life when I had the chance?_

Flashback

_She sat on her bed, brushing her short brown hair, a week or so after the wedding. She stared out of one of the Vione's few windows to look at the stars. In the distance she could see… Fanelia… She choked back tears. _

_Were they __**trying **__to make her unhappy?_

_She slowly opened her dresser drawer. Ever so slowly. Not a creak could be heard. Not a sound. Ari was asleep in the small room she shared with Yuushi down the hallway. She wouldn't hear. No one would hear until it was far too late. Her hand silently felt for the cool metal. She smiled slightly as she lifted it out of the drawer. The sharp blade reflected the moonlight's eerie glow. She had taken it from the kitchen. The cooks had seen, but they did not object. She __**was **__empress after all. No one dared to challenge her wishes, unless they wanted a traitor's bloody death. She felt the sharp edge of the knife and delighted as a thin line of blood appeared on her pale finger. It would all he over now. No more pain. No more lonely nights. No more wishing herself dead. She wouldn't cause pain to anyone ever again. Yes, everyone would be happier with her out of the picture. She smiled again. She would be happy now; everyone would be happy. She'd never trouble Van or anyone else ever again. She brought the icy metal to her neck. She was ready; she could do it._

"_Grandma…" She whispered softly._

"_I'm looking forward to seeing you again…" Her hand slightly shook as she began to pierce her skin. Before she knew it, the knife had clattered to the floor._

"_Why…?" Her voice shook._

"_Why can't I do it?!" she whispered, tears streaming down her face as a small trail of blood made its way down her neck. _

_No one had heard the Empress. No one knew of the suicide attempt. While others were peacefully dreaming, Lady Hitomi Kanzaki de Fanel stared across the floor at the blade stained with her blood that had failed her that night._

End of Flashback

"Lady Hitomi… Promise me that you'll **try**to like him. Promise me that you'll **try** to be happy here…" Ari left quickly, crying, and Hitomi watched the laundry blow in the wind. The pinks, blues, and dominant blacks were a slight comfort to her and she smiled in spite of herself.

"What's that girl thinking?!" A voice muttered.

"Huh?" Hitomi wondered aloud, seeing a hunched over figure speaking. It was a woman. Or at least, it **looked** like a woman. She was quite worn for wear.

"Oh, it's you." The woman spoke gruffly.

"Hey, show a little respect! I could have you killed if I reported you!" Hitomi replied indignantly.

"Aw, raspberries… Why should I give a damn?" The woman asked her in annoyance, hobbling over to the drying clothes.

"You sure don't care much about treason, do you?" Hitomi asked in wonder, since she seemed to be the only one who didn't.

"Deary, when you've lived on this ship as long as I have, nobody crosses you. Much less tries to kill you." The woman grumbled, plucking the clothes from where they hung.

"Okay… Well you already know my name, but I have yet to learn yours… What is it?"

"Not that it's any of your beeswax, Busy-body, but my name is Oban."

_I wonder if these people know that some of their names actually have __**meaning**__ in Japanese. For example, Oban means… _She couldn't help but giggle at its definition.

_Bitchy old hag…_

"And **what**, may I ask, is so **funny**?" Oban asked in annoyance.

"Nothing… Nothing… So how old **are** you exactly?"

"Well let's see… 99, carry the 3, add 30…" She seemed to be submersed in the calculations.

"Ah, yes. I don't get that question much. I am approximately 131… No, **132 **years old."

"WHAT?!" Hitomi fell over in disbelief. "How the heck is that possible?!" she exclaimed.

"Clean living…" the hag replied boastfully. Hitomi gave her a disbelieving look. "Alright, alright, I'm a sorceress, are you happy now?" She asked in annoyance, a vein in her forehead popping.

"Wow… I've never met a sorceress before! So do you work with those sorcerer-creeps in those scary-looking labs?"

"Hell no… In my prime, I was the emperor's personal sorceress. I had a laboratory that those "sorcerers" can hardly dream of! I had a room nearly as big as the emperor's! And I'm sure you, as his lady, have seen it numerous times… You know how extravagant it is…" She looked at the madly blushing Hitomi knowingly.

"Umm… Actually no… I haven't seen it, and if I have anything to say about it, I never will…" Hitomi muttered in embarrassment.

"Some couple… Hmph…" Oban mumbled in disdain.

"Hey, I didn't **ask **to marry him! I'd be off in Fanelia right now if it were up to me…" she grumbled in frustration at everyone blaming her for her relationship woes.

"You weren't **asked** now, were you?" Oban said matter-of-factly. "God only knows I love that boy, but despite the fact that he supposedly rules all, Makai is more of the emperor than he is. He doesn't dare oppose that fool. It's none of my business, but sometimes I wonder who's running this empire, Folken or that damn wannabe."

"What do you mean?" Hitomi asked in confusion.

"Well, when Folken was told that he was Zaibach's new ruler, it came as kind of a shock. One minute he was Dornkirk's henchman, the next minute he had his own country. Makai was assigned to "help him out" since the bastard was so much "wiser" and "more experienced" than Folken. He told Folken what to do, and for **some** reason, the all-too-trusting Folken listened and did whatever he advised him to do. It's been like that for his entire reign. When Folken figures out that he needs to kill that jerk, then he will **truly** become Emperor. That bitch of Makai's, Sukusari, knows it just as well as I do that Folken isn't dropping him anytime soon. She flounces around like she owns the fortress. I'd watch out for her, for you see… if Folken dies without an heir, Makai takes the throne. I don't know why Dilandau isn't next in line. Perhaps he has his hands full with Asturia's problems and doesn't even bring it up. I don't know **why** Makai brought you two here to wed those two since it **obviously** doesn't go along with the master plan. Folken and Makai remain buddy-buddy. Makai bumps off anyone who has the slightest idea what's going on or who stands in the way. Folken dies heirless. Makai takes the throne and rules Zaibach. You'd think that old iron-arm would have figured it out by now. He is one of the smartest men on all of Gaea, after all. Well, _I've_ said far too much…"

She looked into Hitomi's eyes, which were filled with fear and perhaps a glint of despair? No, Hitomi hated Folken; that was obvious enough. She shook her head. The glint was gone and she decided that she had just wished that it was there. She'd known Folken since he'd first been rescued at the age of fifteen. She had been on the operating crew that had given him that horrendous iron appendage. He was a lovable boy, despite what he chose to think. Just rather thickheaded in spite of all his knowledge. She had hoped that he and Hitomi would hit it off, but so far, that didn't seem to be happening.

"I don't understand… How could anyone be that horrible?" Hitomi asked sadly.

"People are a funny sort. They care for no one but themselves." Oban said gruffly.

"But… That's not true… Not all people are like that… I…" Her eyes dilated as visions of the past hit her full-force.

Flashback

_Prince Chid looked out the window from the small ship they were escaping in. Tears rolled down his ghostly white face and Hitomi's heart was filled with grief for not only him, but for all who lay dead on the battlefield below them._

"_The castle! The castle in burning!" The young prince cried out in alarm._

"_Boris… The others… They're all dead… They sacrificed themselves so that __**we**__ could escape…" The boy fell to the floor sobbing. For the man who had been his childhood friend and protector was no more. _

End of Flashback

Flashback

"_The Energists… They're resonating!" Van noticed in alarm._

_The Energist mine exploded and the ground started cracking all around them. Hitomi and Merle feared for their lives. Merle's cat-like reflexes served her well as she crawled out of the pit, but Hitomi slipped and fell into the blackness._

"_HITOMI!" Van screamed urgently as he saw her lose her grip. _

"_HITOMI!" He screamed again. He tore off his shirt and jumped from Escaflowne, diving into the pit. Then…wings unfurled from his back and he flew down to her, grabbing her hand._

"_You're…" She finally recognized __**Van**__ as the boy from her vision. It had taken her long enough._

"_An angel…" Then she went unconscious. _

End of Flashback

Flashback

"_You can't escape!" Van yelled in defiance at the guymelef he was fighting in Fanelia. He swiped at the enemy. "A guymelef!"_

"_It's the giant from my dream…" Hitomi whispered in awe. The guymelef formed a sword and Van cut off its entire arm. Hitomi's eyes widened as she saw another guymelef appear. "VAN! BEHIND YOU!" She shrieked._

_Then Balgus appeared, slicing off the guymelef's arm._

"_Balgus!" She called out in delighted surprise._

"_Balgus…?!" Van called out loudly._

"_Lord Van… Leave with Lady Hitomi now!" Balgus commanded._

"_I WON'T TURN MY BACK ON MY ENEMY!" Van yelled in defiance. Even though he was the king of an entire country, he could be as stubborn as a little kid. _

"_DON'T BE A FOOL!" Balgus cried out. Van began to strike at the guymelef, blocking and taking shots at it. Balgus then blocked a shot he missed which might have critically wounded him._

"_Balgus!" Van screamed again._

_Balgus stabbed the guymelef through the cockpit._

"_LORD VAN!"_

_Van knocked the enemy over and picked up Hitomi who was watching the battle with wide eyes._

"_Hang on! Let's go!" Van headed outside and saw his beautiful kingdom going up in flames._

"_It's over, Balgus! Withdraw!"_

"_HEY! WATCH OUT!" Hitomi screamed at the samurai. A guymelef shot at Balgus and hit him. He plunged to the ground._

"_BALGUS!" Van screamed._

"_BALGUS!" Hitomi echoed helplessly._

"_Lord Van… Take Escaflowne and get out of here… And someday return to revive…the people of Fanelia…" Balgus died with this last command, drowning in a pool of blood._

"_BALGUS!" Van cried out in pain and agony, but it was no use. Fanelia's great swordmaster was dead… _

End of Flashback

Flashback

_The Dragonslayer in his melef, Migel, if she remembered his name correctly, swooped down to attempt to kill Van. He easily blocked it, slicing off the guymelef's arm. The Dragonslayer shrieked._

_"MIGEL!" Dilandau called out loudly._

_Dilandau shot at Van, but he blocked it and a shot headed towards Hitomi on the shore across from them._

"_HITOMI!" Van yelled in obvious distress._

"_NO!" Allen screamed. Schezarade ran right in front of it, getting a direct hit._

"_ALLEN!" Hitomi shrieked as he bled profusely._

"_How careless of me…" He muttered._

End of Flashback

Flashback

_A bunch of furry animals scattered as Escaflowne landed on the ground. Thunder rumbled in the background. Over a dozen blue Alseides units and a single red one landed around Van._

"_Okay boys… The dragon hunting __**ends**__ today!" Dilandau told his slayers._

"_I'll settle this myself…" Van said, trying to reassure himself. "Okay, Escaflowne. Give me your strength." The mecca's gears started turning._

"_ATTACK!" Dilandau commanded.._

_Several guymelefs charged at Van, one shooting at him, but he blocked it easily. He then proceeded to slice through several guymelefs at once._

"_AAAAAAAAHHHH!" A Dragonslayer with blond curly hair Hitomi later learned was Guimel shrieked as Van crushed his guymelef's head, blood spewing everywhere. Van impaled a guymelef coming upon him and struck down the next one with the same persistence._

"_AAAAAAAHHHHH!" Gatty screamed in pain as his guymelef burst into flames._

"_Damn he's fast! Stealth cloaks!" Dilandau ordered. The guymelefs donned their cloaks immediately, but Van, using the dowsing that Hitomi had shown him before, was easily able to see through them._

"_I can see them… I CAN SEE THEM!" Van cried out excitedly. He sliced through two more guymelefs with ease. Dalet attempted to protect himself with a shield, but to no avail. He too was killed._

"_AAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!" Dalet screamed as he met the fate of his comrades._

"_THIS IS FOR DUKE FREID!" Van proclaimed loudly as Dalet's guymelef burst into bloody flames._

_"AND __**THIS**__ IS FOR BALGUS!" He slashed through three more guymelefs as Dilandau watched in horror._

"_What's going on?" Dilandau wondered aloud. "HE'S CRAZY!"_

"_Lord Dilandau!" Chesta cried out, as he, the last remaining Dragonslayer, died before his master, leaving Dilandau as the last one standing._

"_GATTY…? CHESTA? DALET?!" Dilandau called for his fallen men. Escaflowne loomed before him menacingly. "Where __**is**__ he?" Dilandau began to whimper._

_Merle and Hitomi watched from the sky above._

"_Lord Van's winning!" Merle proclaimed in excitement._

"_No… Something's wrong with Escaflowne…" Hitomi muttered. She had a bad feeling about this._

_Escaflowne stepped closer to Dilandau's guymelef as he screamed in terror._

"_STAY AWAY!" Dilandau shrieked as he shot at Van, nicking him and causing blood to run down Van's cheek._

"_And this is for Fanelia! __**PREPARE TO DIE**__!" Van screamed, running forward, intent on spearing Dilandau right then and there._

_Dilandau's pale face was filled with fear, knowing that he was going to die. Suddenly, the blood from Van's cheek filled his guymelef. The whole landscape was covered in blood as eerie ghosts appeared._

"_Stop." Dalet commanded._

"_WHAT?!" Van cried out in confusion. _

"_We won't let you kill Dilandau…" Gatty told Van._

"_What?" Van asked again._

"_Why don't you come with us?" Gatty asked._

"_Who are you?" Van asked, genuinely frightened._

"_We won't let you kill the man who commanded us…" a Dragonslayer said._

"_He gave us our glorious guymelefs!" another proclaimed._

"_He gave me a guymelef!" another piped in._

_The Dragonslayers surrounded Dilandau's guymelef protectively. Van was no longer in Escaflowne, but surrounded by walls of blood. Ghosts soared around him beckoning him._

"_No… STAY AWAY! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Van screamed in terror as Escaflowne fell on its back and the scared to death Dilandau retreated. Everyone watched in horror from the ship above._

"_What happened to Lord Van?" Merle asked in a frightened tone._

"_Van…" Hitomi whispered. She continued to watch the pitch-black Escaflowne lying defeated on the ground. _

End of Flashback

"No, Oban… People are not heartless. They fight to protect the people that they care about the most… Truly people are good at heart…" Hitomi whispered.

"Whatever pleases you." Oban snorted.

"Oban… Do you think…? Oh could you…? Might you… show me Van?" She asked hopefully.

"If it will make you stop spouting that sentimental crap…" Oban grumbled, her black robes swishing behind her as she led Hitomi down a narrow passageway. "See what they've confined me to?! I wouldn't have given my **lab assistant** such a terrible set-up." Oban asked in annoyance as they entered a huge silent room.

"It seems large enough to me…" Hitomi said quietly.

"This is nothing compared to my old lab…" Oban muttered in contempt. "I am so sick of this appearance! Would you wet yourself if I were to change?"

"No. Do what you like…" Hitomi replied quietly. This woman was beginning to intimidate her.

With a flash of blue, the old bitchy hag was gone and replaced by a kind-looking young woman just a few years older than Hitomi. She wore silky white robes in contrast to the black ones that Hitomi had grown accustomed to seeing the sorcerers wear.

"Much better…" Oban said to herself, cracking her knuckles. "Now let me see… How did it go again?" She closed her eyes, deep in thought.

"Ara Tumei… Ara Tumei… Ara Tumei… Fanelia… Ara Tumei… Fanelia!"

The cauldron in front of her bubbled and shimmered until Hitomi could see images appearing in it.

_A fallen castle and a boy… A boy with hair the color of the night sky. It was Van! His wings were outstretched. He was flying away from Fanelia. So far away. Why was he flying away?_

"I don't understand…" she whispered.

"Shut up and watch!" Oban commanded. She might look nice, but she was still a bitchy old hag.

Hitomi's eyes gazed into the cauldron once more.

_Fanelia rapidly faded and she saw the ruins of Asturia. She saw him land on the balcony of a collapsed building, his body dripping with sweat, his hair plastered to his forehead. He looked to the sky, where the Mystic Moon hung, glowing brightly in the early evening. _

"_Wherever you are… I'll find you, Hitomi…" He promised softly, staring off into the distance. _

The images faded and all that was left was the gleaming metal pot filled with still water.

"He's coming for you, Child…" Oban observed quietly.

"Oh no… He can't! They'll kill him… I can't let him die! I love him…" she whispered softly, tears streaming down her face.

"Oh, Oban… Isn't there any way to tell him to go back to Fanelia? I don't want him to die for my sake… It isn't right…" Hitomi fell to the ground, hugging her knees, wetting her shirt with her sobs.

"Yes, I can help you send a message to him. It's unlikely that he'll fall for it though… I'd give him a while before he shows up at least. He looked pretty drained. I'd say he'll stay in Asturia a week or two, stock upon supplies, rest, and then head on to Zaibach. And you know that the Vione is cloaked so he'll have a great deal of difficulty locating it."

"He knows how to dowse…" Hitomi murmured quietly.

"HOW?!" Oban demanded, her rage all too apparent.

"I taught him… Why did I teach him? It's all my fault…" Hitomi said softly.

"Well, there's nothing you can do about it now… Let me concentrate for a moment and then think as hard as you can exactly what you want to say to him."

"Thank you." she said gratefully.

"Just shut up and **think** already!" Oban snapped.

_Don't come, Van… Please don't come, Van… You'll die… Don't come after me, Van… Please don't come, Van… Don't die… _She concentrated hard on her plea, hoping that it would reach him in time.

"Well, if he doesn't get it by now, you have a very thickheaded boy on your hands!" Oban declared. "Now shoo! I have lots of work to do! Shoo now! That's right, shoo!" she led her out of the lab, slamming the door behind her.

"Van… Don't come… I don't want you to die…" she said softly, before going to her room.

Van slept soundly that night. A kind citizen of Asturia had put him up for the night when he had told him that he was an Ally soldier. He dared not bring trouble to the man's house by word getting to the Zaibach that Fanelia's king was staying there.

He'd been flying for a while now. He hadn't been able to travel much. He was still injured from his last run-in with Zaibach soldiers. When he'd first taken off, he had been immediately called back by his guards who wouldn't let him leave until everything was straightened out with the government.

He groaned at the thought of what could have happened to Hitomi during his delay. She could have been raped, beaten, killed, or she could have returned home… The horrible possibilities were endless and they were what kept him going. He had to protect her.

"_Don't come, Van… Please, Van… I don't want you to die, Van… Don't come…" Hitomi's voice was projected in his mind._

He shot up out of bed.

"Hitomi?!" He muttered in disbelief.

Had she said **not** to come after her? It made no sense. It was probably just some Zaibach trickery. He wouldn't put it past them. They loved to toy with peoples' emotions. He decided that this was what it was and rolled over to get some well-deserved rest. But before he fell asleep, he murmured one last sentiment.

"Don't worry, Hitomi. I'm coming."

Indeed, Hitomi had a very caring, but thickheaded boy on her hands.

A month or so later, Hitomi awoke, drenched in fear-induced sweat. That horrible nightmare continued to plague her.

"_Don't worry, Hitomi. I'm coming." Van murmured._

But she **did **worry. She worried about him night and day. Nothing could console her. She worried about Folken too. If she had to spend the rest of her life with him, she'd like it if they at least got along. But she hardly ever saw him, and when she did, it was far from memorable. But today, all that would change, because Hitomi was going to attempt to "bond" with Folken. If he was going to stay in his study all day, she would get in. And since he only came out for meals, she would bring his food. **That** was the plan.

She took a right and ended up in the Vione's vast kitchen, cluttered with cooks and servants who all fell on one knee when she entered.

"For what do we owe the honor of your presence, Milady?" the head chef asked meekly.

"Rise. There is no need for all of that. May I brew some tea?"

A blonde maid shot up.

"I shall make it for you, Lady!"

"Oh no. That's not necessary. I can make my own tea." Hitomi replied, heading towards the stove.

"But Lady Hitomi!" Another chef protested.

"Resume your duties and leave me to my work." she was relieved to see them grudgingly obey as she set to the task at hand.

There were no teabags on Gaea, sadly to say, so she boiled tea leaves, as she'd seen her grandmother once do. She filled the teapot and placed on a silver tray with two tea cups. She was also given a couple of rolls and a pad of butter before setting off to her husband's study. She nearly spilled all of the tray's contents several times on her journey, but she did reach her destination and knocked hesitantly. There was no response, so she knocked again.

"Enter." Folken's grave voice commanded. She opened the door and walked in. Folken seemed surprised at her unexpected visit.

"Good afternoon, Hitomi. What is it that you want?"

"I want **you** to stop signing those stupid treaties and have tea with me." Hitomi proclaimed.

"And **why** should I do that?" he asked her sternly.

"**Because**, I'm your 'beloved' wife and you should want to please me." she replied matter-of-factly.

"I suppose you're right." he admitted, secretly happy that he had found a reason to put away his quill.

"Of course I am! I'm the Empress of Zaibach for crying out loud! I'm **always** right!" She said smugly.

She pulled up a chair from a small table on the other side of the room and sat across from him. She then proceeded to pour the steaming beverage into a cup for Folken, handing it to him carefully. She then proceeded to pour herself a cup. Hitomi then passed out the rolls and took a bite out of hers.

"It's good. Who made it?" Folken asked, sipping his tea.

"Well… I did…" she admitted.

His eyes fixed with hers in disbelief for a moment, before he gulped it down.

"You?"

"Yes. I really don't see what the big fuss is about. The chefs seemed to think that I'd lost my mind." Hitomi muttered in annoyance. Why wasn't she allowed to do anything?

"It's uncommon to see an empress doing something of this nature. You'll have to forgive them. Those of us brought up on Gaea always believed that all the rulers' wives did was host extravagant parties, waste the treasury on gaudy jewelry, and raise their children to rule the country once they were gone."

"Well sor-ry if I'm 'offending' everyone! I was **trying** to be nice!"

"Why?" he asked solemnly.

"Because… even though we didn't marry for love, we're still husband and wife! We should at least **try** to get along! And besides that… we were married primarily for procreation, weren't we? If I'm going to be the vessel for your heir, then I'd least like to get to know you first…" She found herself blushing at the very idea, but it was the truth, as embarrassing as it might be.

"I suppose that you're right." he muttered as he took another sip of his tea.

"Tell me, Hitomi… I was thinking about it the other day… Do you remember the time we spent together when we were in Fanelia?"

"Yes, of course…" Hitomi consented.

_How could I forget? It was the beginning of the end of- well __**everything**__…_

Flashback

_Folken sat amidst the ruins of Fanelia, whistling softly._

"_Do you think he'll come?" Ruhm asked Folken._

"_He will… It's Van, remember?"_

"_As though you know each other so well… Here he comes!" Ruhm spotted Escaflowne above them, Van glaring menacingly from its cockpit._

"_Hello, Brother!" Van said quietly, in an angry, sarcastic manner._

_Folken watched Hitomi from below._

"_Just like unpredictable elements… They amuse me…"_

_Escaflowne landed before Ruhm and Folken._

"_I thought you'd still be with Van!" Ruhm told Hitomi, who blushed madly. "You must be worried, but leave them alone. Van, Folken, I'll see you later."_

"_Thank you, Ruhm." Folken said quietly as Ruhm departed.._

"_Did you come alone?" Van asked suspiciously._

"_Do you think I'd lay a trap for my own brother?" Folken asked indignantly._

_Van leaped from Escaflowne, drawing his sword._

"_Well you're no brother of mine!"_

"_Van!" Hitomi called out desperately._

"_Look what's happened to the country you've abandoned! This green land protected by dragons is in ruins!" _

"_Do you hate me then? Me, your own brother?" Folken asked._

"_I'll make you pay for your sins with this royal sword!" _

"_Van…" Hitomi said softly. A cloud of dust rose._

"_What's that?!" _

"_A land dragon…" Van muttered as another one appeared behind him._

_"It's Folken! Folken planned this all along!"_

"_Van, no!" Hitomi pleaded with him not to believe such a thing as he dodged a dragon that lunged at him._

"_I can't believe they'd be wandering around after only a few months… This way!" He grabbed her hand and they hid under the wreckage of a house as a dragon walked by._

"_Drop your sword, Van. Get rid of the rage in your heart and the dragons will go away…" Folken told him from afar._

"_Don't be ridiculous! Do you really believe I'll fall for a trick like that?!" Van yelled at him. A dragon appeared and breathed fire as they jumped away._

"_Damn it! Folken! Show yourself!" Van commanded. _

"_Fighting solves nothing…True, I failed in the rite of dragonslaying to become king…" Folken said in a stern voice. Hitomi could see it. Young Folken was standing by the dragon when it lunged at him, ripping off his arm. He lay on the ground as the dragon stared at him. "I was ready to die, but then…"_

"_Am I alive?" A young Folken wondered aloud. "Where am I?" He shielded his eyes, now lying on a bed under a bright light._

"_Nobleman from the land protected by dragons…" A quavering voice called to the fifteen-year-old._

"_What? Who are you?" Folken asked the strange voice._

"_My name is Dornkirk, he who intends to control fate with the power of Atlantis."_

"_The power of Atlantis?"_

"_You survived because the power of Atlantis flows through you… Come with me and let us create a world free of war…"_

_Folken sat up. "What is this place?" He then noticed his right arm, now mechanical, and grimaced before screaming._

"_Since then, I have become a sorcerer under Lord Dornkirk's tutelage… I did it all for an ideal future…" Folken said quietly._

"_So you sold your soul and your country to Zaibach?!" Van demanded, filled with rage. A dragon leaped down, separating Van and Hitomi._

"_VAN!" Hitomi cried out._

_  
"Run, Hitomi! Run!"_

"_Come on!" He challenged the dragon. _

_Hitomi ran up some stairs before a dragon lunged at her. Folken pulled her aside, covering her mouth with his hand as she murmured in outrage._

"_Be quiet." he told her gently. The dragon looked at them, before turning away and Folken let go. "I want you to trust me." Folken told her softly._

"_I know this may sound strange, but I'd like your help, Hitomi." _

"_You're just like Naria, aren't you?" Hitomi asked, studying his metal arm. "Just like her… Your body was changed…"_

"_Naria…?" Folken muttered in disbelief at the all-too-familiar name. "But how…?"_

_Van was knocked into a wall by the dragon._

"_But Naria's dead… And so are all those people in Fanelia… And Asturia…" Hitomi said, reliving the deaths of those she had once known.._

"_That's why we must change the way people feel. We must stop the bloodshed and bring peace to Gaea." Folken proclaimed._

"_Folken…" Hitomi murmured._

"_Dornkirk's theory isn't wrong… I will learn the rules of fate and shape the world according to my will… Just like the people of Atlantis once did…" _

"_But that's not the way change is supposed to work!" Hitomi protested._

"_You can change things with your feelings, right?" Naria's voice echoed._

"_Naria…" Hitomi muttered._

_The two could hear the dragon growl and walked to where they could see Van trapped._

"_VAN!" Hitomi shrieked. Folken removed his shirt, spreading his wings and flying down to where his brother was._

"_Oh, Folken…" Hitomi murmured, seeing his black wings._

_He landed in front of Van, who noticed the dark color of his wings as well._

"_Brother…" Van muttered._

"_DROP YOUR SWORD, VAN! DROP IT!" Folken commanded him. Van obeyed and the dragon went away._

"_The dragons… The dragons are leaving…" Hitomi noticed in awe._

"_Van, your anger and fear drew the dragons to you, just like a drop of water creates ripples, anger and fear causes chaos. I'll change the fate of man. I'll eliminate those feelings…" Folken said._

"_A world without war?" Van asked in disbelief._

_Van recalled a memory of his childhood before Folken left._

"_And so our hero slew the rampaging dragon, and became king of all Fanelia…" Folken read the picture book to his little brother._

"_But why did he kill the dragon brother? That was so mean…" Young Van commented._

"_You're right, Van. It is mean to kill dragons, but it's a king's destiny." Younger Folken told him._

"_I wanted to lift that burden from your shoulders… It was because of your gentleness that I wanted to create a kinder Fanelia… My only wish was to see that new world with you… However… Our methods were wrong… I see that now…" Hitomi then joined them._

"_Join me, Van… And let us create a world free of war…" Folken held out his hand._

"_Brother… Your wings…" Van whispered sadly, knowing what the black wings stood for. Death._

End of Flashback

"And then, there was that time in Asturia…"

Flashback

_Hitomi was walking through the fields._

"_What's the matter with me? I was so mean when I said those things to Allen…"_

_She looked at the church, then at the Earth. She got in her track stance and ran off. She eventually ended up by a large fountain in town as Folken watched her._

"_You miss your homeland, right?" He asked her._

"_Folken…" Hitomi looked up in surprise._

_Time passed as their conversation continued._

"_Van said that…?" Folken asked in disbelief._

"_I really want you and Van to get along…" Hitomi commented._

"_He'll never change…" Folken said harshly._

"_I wish I could make him understand…" Hitomi said whimsically._

"_Aren't you afraid of me? I'm the one who sent the Intensified Luck Soldiers after you." Folken asked stoically._

"_I can't explain it… But…"_

"_But…?" Folken asked._

"_If I were afraid, you wouldn't be comfortable. It wouldn't work. If you don't trust people, they don't trust you…" She replied._

"_You know, my stay here could just be part of my plot…" Folken warned her._

"_All the same, I still wouldn't think you were a bad person, Folken. Even if my trust was misplaced." Hitomi smiled at him._

"_So that's your power…" He murmured as Van looked on with an angry disposition from nearby._

End of Flashback

"You said that you trusted me. That I wasn't a bad person." He chuckled, but not in a happy way.

"And you know what the funny thing is? I almost believed it too…"

"Folken…" She whispered. "I still believe it…"

"You're young and foolish…"

"So believing in people makes me foolish, huh Folken? So what does not believing in yourself make you? Old and bitter?" she asked accusingly.

"We're opposites… I'm dark and you are light, you're good and I am evil, you are seventeen and I am twenty-seven…" he remarked in a melancholy manner.

"I know how old I am, thank you very much! Although I'm surprised you took the time to figure it out…"

"I have more free time on my hands than you'd think…" he replied casually.

"Maybe it's my fault. You warned me. You practically told me what you were doing with the Allies and I just refused to believe you. Perhaps I am a fool. But Folken, there's still something I don't understand…"

"What is that?" he asked nonchalantly.

"How could you join Zaibach? How could you abandon your country and plot to kill your own brother? How could you burn the kingdom you were meant to rule to the ground? What happened to Folken Lacoeur de Fanel?"

"Have you ever looked at my face, Hitomi?" He turned on the desk lamp to illuminate the right side of his face where she could plainly see the purple teardrop tattooed on his cheek. "When I joined Zaibach, I abandoned my past life and started anew. Folken Lacoeur de Fanel died when the dragon bit off his arm. That was the day that Folken Strategos, strategist of Zaibach, was born. I sacrificed my family, my people, my friends, and my birthright, all for the sake of a new world. I asked Dornkirk for this tattoo. I changed how I did my hair, donned sorcerers' robes, had my ears pierced, received my metal appendage, and the tattoos around my eyes also seemed appropriate. I swore from that day forward that I would never cry again. I have only broken that promise once, when I was responsible for the deaths of Naria and Eriya. This tattoo represents all the miseries of my life and the tears that were never and will never be shed. I was given a new life, and with it, I became a different person. Folken Lacoeur de Fanel is dead, Hitomi."

"You may leave now." he said softly.

"I'll come back, Folken. Whether you want me to or not!" she yelled, fleeing down the hall. Folken shut off the light, leaving him in the darkness, as always…

A/N: There's the end of chapter 5! I'm sorry if any of the flashbacks from the series were screwed up; I haven't watched the series in a long time… It's 2:30 AM and I have school starting tomorrow… I've got to hit the hay. Please excuse me for not answering reviews… I hope that you know how much I appreciate them and I hope this many-paged chapter makes up for my neglect… Please review and thanks for reading!

Next Time On "Tears of the Heart":

"_Yukari… Shh… It's okay…" she whispered softly, trying to comfort the red-haired girl._

"_What should I do Hitomi? What should I do?" she asked in a pitiful manner._

"_Yukari, you have to tell him. No matter how much it hurts… He's the father and he has the right to know…" Hitomi advised, though she regretted having to speak this painful truth._


	6. When Hope is Lost

Disclaimer: I don't own Escaflowne. Never have, don't now, never will… Get used to it… I also don't own "Somewhere Only We Know" by Keane, any Escaflowne characters, or any flashbacks from the series. However, any original character obviously belongs to me.

A/N: I feel so bad. I never update. I never finish my chapters when I say I will. I'm a horrible author. I hope that you guys still remember this fic exists… Too much schoolwork, extra things, and other fics… Wow, thanks for all the reviews!

**Tears of the Heart**

_I walked across an empty land  
I knew the pathway like the back of my hand  
I felt the earth beneath my feet  
Sat by the river and it made me complete  
Oh simple thing where have you gone?  
I'm getting old and I need something to rely on  
So tell me when you're gonna let me in  
I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin_

I came across a fallen tree  
I felt the branches of it looking at me  
Is this the place we used to love?  
Is this the place that I've been dreaming of?

Oh simple thing where have you gone?  
I'm getting old and I need something to rely on  
So tell me when you're gonna let me in  
I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin

So if you have a minute why don't we go  
Talk about it somewhere only we know?  
This could be the end of everything  
So why don't we go  
Somewhere only we know?

Oh simple thing where have you gone?  
I'm getting old and I need something to rely on  
So tell me when you're gonna let me in  
I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin

So if you have a minute why don't we go  
Talk about it somewhere only we know?  
This could be the end of everything  
So why don't we go  
So why don't we go

This could be the end of everything  
So why don't we go  
Somewhere only we know?

-"Somewhere Only We Know" by Keane

Chapter 6: When Hope is Lost

Months passed as Hitomi began to grow accustomed to life on the Vione. She spent her mornings training and talking with Yukari, her afternoons trying to convince Folken to open up to her, and her evenings enjoying the beauty of the unspoiled night. Yukari seemed to be regaining what little pride she had left, although the sad truth was that she continued to cry late into the night. Sometimes, Hitomi saw Dilandau looking at Yukari in an eerie way. It was not part of his usual behavior and frankly it scared her.

Folken and Hitomi spoke of old times and their many problems. She would always bring up the wrong topic, Folken wouldn't want to talk about it, and then he asked her to leave. She wished she wasn't so forward about everything. Maybe she would be able to be with him for longer durations of time without scaring him off. Despite that, the couple grew closer as the days wore on. Their romantic relationship didn't seem to improve much, but they became friends in essence. The people of Zaibach became agitated, as well as the sorcerers and the royal council. There was no hint of the empress being pregnant or the emperor even sharing a room with her, which worried everyone except Hitomi and Folken. However, Hitomi was fairly happy. She was sure that everything would turn out fine, until a certain incident occurred that ruined everything she had grown to love…

"Lord Folken, if you die heirless, what is to become of the empire? Makai is sure to take the throne once you're gone! No one wants to see that! Oh please, Lord Folken, have mercy on your kingdom and your people! Please try to grow close to the girl!" yhe head of the royal council pleaded with the emperor one afternoon.

"Who is to say that I have not grown close to her?" Folken asked solemnly, turning towards the window.

"You know what we speak of, Milord… Zaibach needs an heir! You've been married to that girl for at least half a year by now if not more, yet you still retain your separate quarters!" another councilman voiced in annoyance.

"I… I am quite fond of Hitomi, actually…" he said quietly, watching the clouds pass outside.

"She is a good friend to me. She amuses me. If a child results from our marriage, so be it. I see no reason to try to speed up the occurrence. I don't plan on dying anytime soon. Good day, Gentlemen." He exited the room, leaving the council members to shake their heads in concern.

Hitomi stood outside Yukari's door, waiting for her friend to emerge so that they could go down to breakfast together.

"Come on, Yukari! There are muffins today! You know the men will eat them if we don't hurry up! Yukari! I'm hungry!" She whined as she continued to pound on her friend's door. She was surprised when the door suddenly opened and she was pulled into the room by her collar. She was promptly slammed against the wall by a bare-chested Dilandau.

"You forget, Girl, that your little friend isn't the only one who sleeps in this room! And just so you know, it is **four** in the morning, a time when normal people are sleeping, not eating **muffins**!" Dilandau hissed.

Hitomi blinked in confusion and noticed that her watch had stopped. A bead of sweat appeared on her forehead.

"Sorry…!" she apologized in embarrassment at her error.

"Dilandau! Do you realize what time it is?! Go back to bed!" Yukari commanded tiredly. Her eyes were shut tight, making her sleepiness apparent.

"As you wish, Milady." Dilandau made a mock bow, trudging back to bed in his black boxers.

Hitomi stood in silence for a minute, before she heard the adonis's gentle snoring. He looked almost cute when he was sleeping. Too bad he seemed like a demon of the underworld when he was awake. Just then, Yukari rolled out of bed and put a finger to her lips, signaling Hitomi to be quiet. She followed the pyromaniac's wife into the couple's bathroom, watching Yukari lock the door behind them. Her friend put her ear to the door and visibly relaxed when she could still hear Dilandau's calm breathing, meaning he had not noticed her departure from his side.

"YUKARI! WHAT THE HECK'S GOING ON?!" Hitomi demanded rather too loudly. Yukari slapped her hand over the brunette's mouth and pointed towards the door, where on the other side, her husband peacefully slumbered.

"I need to talk to you…" Yukari whispered urgently, her eyes darting side-to-side, as though she was sure that they were being watched by some unseen foe.

"Well, obviously!" Hitomi shot back, annoyed at all the sneaking around.

"Hitomi… Please… It's really important…" The pleading look in her friend's deep brown eyes made Hitomi instantly shut up.

"What I'm about to tell you, you can never tell anyone! Not Yuushi, not Ari, not Folken, **not** **even Dilandau**…"

"Not even your own **husband** can know? What kind of trouble are you in, Yukari?" Hitomi asked in a somewhat surprised tone. She knew that Dilandau certainly wasn't the ideal husband, but she had been hoping that the two were to the point where they could at least tolerate one another.

"I can't tell him…" Yukari whispered, lowering her head as her eyes wavered.

Hitomi saw a tear run down her best friend's cheek and she was instantly concerned. She was **afraid** to tell him. This had to be something big.

"Yukari… What is it?"

"You know that I've been going to the healer every week since I started getting a strange stomach sickness?"

"Yes, you're always complaining that she gives you that disgusting tonic that tastes like shit and that she might as well just poison you instead!" Hitomi grinned at the familiar ritual.

"Well, I went to her yesterday, and she ran some tests… Then she told me-"

"Told you **what**?" Hitomi asked with increasing dread. Was Yukari going to die? Whatever was wrong with her, it apparently was worse than they had feared.

"She told me… She told me that I'm pregnant."

Hitomi shrieked in glee.

"Oh, Yukari! I'm so happy for you! I'm **even** happy for **Dilandau**! Can you imagine that? Does this mean that I get to be a godmother! Oh, Yukari! I'm so excited!" She saw her friend's sober expression and immediately ceased celebrating the good news. "Why aren't **you** smiling?"

"Because… I knew that it was bound to happen… I'm pregnant with Dilandau's child…"

"But Yukari! You get to have a baby! That excites **most** people! Who cares if it's his? It's yours too! Thankfully for the poor child…"

"Think about it, Hitomi! Does Dilandau seem like the fatherly **type** to you?!" She exclaimed.

"Don't you realize that this is the end? I can't go back to Amano now, carrying another man's baby! It was bad enough that I had to sleep with that monster, but now that this has happened, I'm stuck with him forever!" She broke down, sobbing as Hitomi knelt down to hug her.

"Yukari… Shh… It's okay…" she whispered softly, trying to comfort the red-haired girl. "Well, it may seem cruel, but Yukari, our main purpose is to provide Folken and Dilandau with heirs. Perhaps they'd let you leave after the child was born?"

"I could never leave my baby in the hands of these monsters… Besides, Dilandau would never let me leave."

"I guess that was a bad idea. How could any mother abandon her child? I'd miss your company, too."

"What should I do, Hitomi? What should I do?" she asked in a pitiful manner.

"Yukari, you have to tell him. No matter how much it hurts… He's the father and he has the right to know…" Hitomi advised, though she regretted having to speak this painful truth.

"But that's just it… If he knew, he'd be furious! He'd act like I got pregnant on purpose just to end his days of freedom! As if! As much as I hate how it was conceived… It's still my child… I don't want to lose this baby… I don't want Dilandau to hurt it…" She whispered, hugging herself.

"Yukari, it's his child! Why would he want to harm his own child? Your baby is his heir! Everyone will be thrilled! It'll make my situation with them even worse!"

"You know, Yukari, other people need to use this bathroom too…" Dilandau interrupted.

"Oh no… Did he **hear** me?" Yukari squeaked in dread.

"No, of course not. Get a hold of yourself!" Hitomi commanded, dragging her out the door.

"Remember, Hitomi, you can't tell **anyone**!" Yukari reminded her sternly.

"I promise…" Hitomi replied softly before she left, placing her hand on Yukari's shoulder reassuringly.

_I promise…_ Little did she know that the father-to-be was very much aware of the existence of his child.

Good day, Gentlemen." He exited the room, leaving the council members to shake their heads in concern.

"Hurry, Milady! You mustn't keep Lord Folken waiting!" Ari hurried the green-eyed girl along, throwing food into a hamper for her rendezvous with her husband. Folken and Hitomi were going on a picnic, after much henpecking on Hitomi's part. And now Hitomi was late. She tried on dress after dress after dress, all to the combined disapproval of the two ladies. As Folken's wife, she naturally had an unlimited wardrobe. Laces, frills, and jewels adorned her many dresses, gloves, shoes, and tiaras. Hitomi smirked whenever she saw Makai's wife's piercing glares sent her way.

_You won't be wearing clothing half as nice until your funeral… _She thought viciously. Her dislike of the vain, selfish wife of Makai grew with each passing day.

She tried on dinner gowns, her opera outfit, casual clothes, and finally settled on a green sun dress with a matching ribbon and brown sandals. She grabbed the full hamper and raced outside.

"Have a good time, Lady!" Ari called after her, waving.

She panted as she left the docked Vione and ran through the Asturian fields. She laughed, twirling around amongst the endless flowers. She fell flat on the grass and sneezed when a butterfly landed on her nose. She closed her eyes and smiled contentedly.

"Are you planning on getting up anytime today?" Folked asked, with a hint of a smile on his lips.

"If it's fine by you, Milord, I think that I'll stay here awhile!" She replied jokingly, closing her eyes and inhaling the myriad of scents surrounding her.

He lifted her up with his metal arm and she shrieked, "Hey! Let go of me, Folken! Let me go!"

"I'm hungry." He justified his behavior, dragging her under the shade of a nearby tree and promptly dropping her on her behind.

"Ugh! What treatment! And of your wife, nonetheless!" Hitomi griped in a teasing manner. She unpacked their lunches and they sat in the grass, Folken staring at the newly rebuilt city of Palas, Hitomi gazing with admiration at the most beautiful blue sky she'd ever seen.

"It's amazing really…" He commented.

"Yes, it is…" She replied, thinking that he shared in her wonder at the endless sky above them.

"It has been rebuilt after the fires, yet it is still as beautiful as it was before…" He said wistfully.

_The sky burning? Does he mean the sunset…? It does seem to burn before dark and be born again in a pastel sky the next morning… _Hitomi decided that this was what he meant and appreciated Folken's "unique interpretation" of the situation.

"Yes, look at the clouds… They're such a beautiful shade of white…"

_What is she talking about? Maybe she means the clouds of people… _He seriously doubted that one, but what else could she be talking about? He observed the noisy townspeople almost crushing each other while trying to get through the marketplace. The vast majority of them were not in the least bit beautiful, but most were indeed pale. A whaleman suddenly walked through the fields in front of them, waving in a friendly manner before continuing on his way to the capital. Hitomi flinched a bit before turning away. Folken laughed. Some things he doubted she'd ever get used to.

_Are we even talking about the same thing?_ Folken suspected this could be the case and quickly tested his theory to see if they were on the same page.

"Kind Aston died you know. When he found out that both of his daughters had perished, he couldn't bear to live any longer. It is said that he poisoned himself. He tried the same thing when Queen Therese died after Millerna was born, but the healers revived him. King Aston was a cruel man and a shrewd negotiator, but I believe that he truly did care for those girls in some way, shape, or form, despite how he may have acted." Folken said in his usual cold tone, closing his eyes as though remembering things he'd forgotten.

"King Aston… He let Meiden kidnap me… He tried to kill Van… He would have let his own grandson die without lifting a finger… I… I don't think that I can ever forgive him for all the horrible things he did…" She shuddered slightly, remembering the war she had known on her first visit to Gaea and all of the problems that shell of a man had brought upon innocent people.

"No, he certainly wasn't known for his ethics…" Folken agreed, nodding slightly.

"But Folken… What does that have to do with the sky?" She asked him out of the blue, rather confused on how their conversation had gone from clouds to King Aston.

"Oh, nothing. I just thought that it might interest you." he excused himself.

"On a different subject, I, for some god-forsaken reason, 'gave' Asturia to Dilandau. He forces some fool to take care of the grunt work with one of his men watching to make sure everything checks out. He collects the taxes and pretty much can do whatever he wants with it. Dilandau usually vacations there when he's off duty. He told me that he was planning on staying there during his next break and taking Yukari with him if she'd shut up long enough for him to ask her to go." The edge of his mouth curled slightly in a smile.

"Really? I think that's great, Folken. Perhaps they aren't doomed to loathe each other till death do they part. It would be nice if they at least got along. I guess divorce is unheard of here. I'm sure Yukari would get one if she could."

"A divorce? What's that?"

"Well that answers that question…" Hitomi muttered.

"A divorce occurs when two people who are married decide to split up. Go their separate ways, start their own lives, you know. Sometimes because of abuse, infidelity, or unhappiness. Sometimes couples are married for years and only then realize that they never really loved each other to begin with. It's sad really. In my world, many people get divorced. For example, in my country, a divorce occurs every 2.5 minutes. And in the United States, 1 out of every 2 marriages ends in divorce. People just seem to rush blindly into marriage these days…" She looked away from him. If she looked deep within her heart, she knew that she would have asked for a divorce from Folken by now. While he might be a good friend and companion, they shared no romantic interest in each other.

"Yes, that sounds like something Yukari would be interested in. However, I'd like it very much if they were in love. Perhaps then they'd be happy." Folken said softly, staring off into the sky. "He asked me if I would like to accompany him."

"To Asturia? Are you going?" Hitomi asked, slightly disappointed. She had hoped that on Folken's brief vacation from the endless task of being Zaibach's ruler that they could spend some time together without work and interruptions.

"Yes, I think I will. He also commented, 'You should bring your wench along so that mine can jabber with yours instead of bitching to me all hours of the day.' So, would you like to come? If not, I'll just have Ari look after you. It would only be for a few weeks."

"You're not getting rid of me that easily, Folken. I would love to see Palas again. It was nice of you to offer to let me come." She smiled at him and he felt an odd unexplainable sensation within his chest. The feeling faded as he saw her brow furrow.

"I just can't believe that Eries, Dryden, Millerna and even King Aston… are gone…" She whispered in regret, hugging herself. It just doesn't seem fair. I'm sick of it. I don't want to see it anymore. This is why I left Gaea. There are never happy endings on this cursed planet. Princess Eries loved Allen, but he never saw her as anything more than Millerna's less-attractive older sister and the little sister of his true-love, Marlene. Merle wanted Van to love her in the way that she loved him, but he never could. Duke Freid loved Marlene, but she already loved Allen. Naria and Eriya loved you so much that they were willing to die to keep you safe. Gaou and Varie were deeply in love, but the people of Fanelia only saw Varie as a cursed Draconian that should be destroyed. Dryden loved Millerna more than anything, yet she couldn't see past Allen, who only saw her as a replacement for Marlene. Yukari loved Amano, but she can never have him…"

_And I… I love Van… But he is destined to love another… Someone prettier, smarter, and worldlier than me. Someone who is truly worthy of being his queen… But still I… I wish… _She trailed off within her mind.

"Hitomi, love is doomed to perish from the start. That's why it's better to be alone. That way… you can never get hurt…" He said softly.

"But Folken. What if… what if it made you very happy?" Hitomi asked softly.

"Happiness is something few are likely to find in this life or another… War is the only way to find what we're looking for."

_Thank you, Mr. Sunshine. _Hitomi thought sarcastically.

"But why? Why must war and conflict destroy the bonds that tie people together? Why…?" Hitomi asked in a desperate manner.

"Hitomi… We have to fight… If we don't fight, we die, if we do fight, the other side has losses. The basic rule of war is based upon the fact that someone must die…" he stated matter-of-factly.

"But Folken! I have a chance to be a godmother! Yukari is going to have Dilandau's child! I don't want her child to grow up without a father because Dilandau goes off and gets himself killed in battle! I don't want any more bad things to happen!" she sobbed, unaware that she'd just broken her promise.

"Y-Yukari's with child?" Folken stuttered in disbelief. He quickly regained his composure. "I assume that Dilandau doesn't know."

"You assume correctly." Hitomi replied, still shivering. Folken removed his cloak, draping it around her. It fell about her loosely.

"I don't think that it's my color," she commented with a weak smile. "I have one last question for you, Folken. What's the point of life if you have no one to share it with?" She handed the cloak back to him and pecked him on the cheek before gathering their discarded picnic supplies and heading back to the castle.

Folken's mind was clouded as he stood there, barely noticing that Hitomi had run off.

"So Dilandau and Yukari are going to be parents…" he mused aloud, having trouble voicing that strange thought. "And our plot takes yet another little twist…" he muttered, staring off into the sky.

"Dilandau…" Folken summoned the crimson-eyed boy into his study.

"Yes, how may I serve you, Lord Folken?" He kneeled on the floor. Something was troubling him. He never acted this stiff and formal with Folken.

"Get up. There is no need for formalities. You know me, Dilandau. I hate formalities." Folken muttered.

"Whatever you say, Strategos." Dilandau smirked, getting up off the ground.

"I have summoned you here to congratulate you. You must be a very proud and happy man." Folken said solemnly.

"What are you talking about?" Dilandau asked in bewilderment, genuinely having no idea what Folken was referring to.

"You're going to be a father. I know that you know. You've been strutting around like a peacock all week. That doesn't help your case." Folken replied, looking out the window.

"Yes, I suppose you've found me out, Strategos. I know that you're quite good at this sort of game, but tell me, how exactly did you find out?" Dilandau asked coolly, closing his eyes and leaning against the wall.

"Let's just say that a little bird told me." Folken replied emotionlessly.

"Oh, your wench told you. That girl of mine told **her**, and she has yet to tell **me**! Can you believe it?" To Folken's surprise, Dilandau looked very angry over the matter.

"With your attitude, I hardly blame her." Folken commented.

"It's my child as much as hers, damn it! I should have been the first one informed. How she plans on keeping it a "secret," I don't rightfully know. She gets fatter every day!" Dilandau shot back hot-headedly.

"You overwhelm me with your charm. Then, how exactly **did** you find out, Dilandau? According to you, Yukari hasn't told you and I seriously doubt that you and Hitomi converse unless you're insulting one another."

"I overheard the bitches talking about it. I couldn't sleep with their endless jabbering, so I went over to tell them to shut up. Then I heard her blubbering about being pregnant and I just listened. I couldn't help it. Damn it, I never find out anything on this ship unless I accidentally overhear it." Dilandau exclaimed in an exasperated tone, preparing to leave the room. Before he could, Folken made one last comment.

"Despite the fact that you curse her and never call her by name, I'm beginning to think that you've grown rather fond of Yukari."

Dilandau was about to say something smart, but processing his thoughts, changed his mind. He **had** grown much closer to Yukari in the past six months. She didn't think so, but he felt a connection to her that scared him. It used to be fun hurting her, trying to get a rise out of her. For some reason, that had lost its pleasure. He no longer enjoyed humiliating her. What was wrong with him? It wasn't love, so what was it? What had that witch done to him? Perhaps he would decide to leave her behind when he vacationed in Asturia. He had to admit it though. As sickening as it was, he had grown fond of the hot-headed, red-haired girl. She challenged him and he couldn't help but admire her for it.

"Yes…" he muttered in a rather startled tone. When had this happened? "Yes, I believe that I am…" He walked out the door, confused beyond all belief. He usually felt that way after conferences with Strategos.

The tea tray Hitomi was holding crashed to the ground. It shattered to pieces at her feet, yet she paid it no mind as her eyes widened with horror at what she'd just overheard. She hadn't meant to listen in. She was coming to have tea with Folken. When she found that the door was locked she had prepared knock when she heard voices. Her curiosity had gotten the best of her and she had eavesdropped in on the conversation. Now she knew the horrible truth.

"Dilandau knows… He knows about the baby…" she whispered.

The man in question emerged from the room, glaring at her as she stared back at him in a paralyzed state.

"Clean up this mess!" he commanded in annoyance, eyeing the spillage before walking off.

"He knows…" she whispered as she watched him, knowing that no good could come of this.

A/N: Another chapter is complete. I hope that you guys enjoyed it! I'm sorry that the chapters come out so infrequently. Check my profile for news on what fics I'm working on. I love writing this fic so much and I want to thank you all for your support. Now here's an oh-so-wonderful preview of the next chapter…

Next Time On "Tears of the Heart":

_Yukari rocked back and fourth, softly humming a lullaby to her unborn child. All of a sudden she heard a faint beeping noise and jerked her head in surprise, noticing that the sound was coming from her dufflebag in the corner. She dropped the baby cap she had been working on, walking over to investigate. She flung various clothes, mementos, schoolwork, and track gear out of the bag until she found what she was looking for._

"_It's my pager…" Yukari exclaimed in excitement, amazed that it still worked so far from home. _

_**WHERE ARE YOU YUKARI? **__It read across the screen._

"_It's… It's from Amano…" She whispered in disbelief, staring at the message in wonder._


	7. I'll Be Waiting

Disclaimer: I don't own Escaflowne, its characters, or any flashbacks used in this story from the series. I also don't own "Days Go By" by Dirty Vegas, "No Need For Promises" by Ma'aya Sakamoto and Yoko Kanno or the song "London Bridge." Nor do I claim to own them. I do, however, own any original characters in this story. Oh yes, and I used an idea from Calvin and Hobbes that I found interesting in this chapter! Credit goes to the amazing Mr. Bill Watterson! Thanks!

A/N: I'm sorry that I haven't updated in such a long time… It's been really unfair of me to all of you loyal readers. I hope that all of you didn't abandon me, although I must admit that I deserve it. It's just been one thing after another… 8th grade is quite demanding, I'm sorry to say. My friends keep trying to set me up with random boys, I was "volunteered" to be on St. Lucia's Court in my church's Christmas pageant, we're getting a new dog, I had to study for my algebra final, my LA teacher is crazy, my SS and Science teachers love giving projects, Mr. W was mad at me for not submitting anything till the last minute for our school poetry/artwork club, I keep starting new fics that I don't technically have time for, I read too much, my parents are getting angrier at me than usual, my computer is not working correctly, I turned fourteen a few days ago, and life is just quite ridiculous right about now… Please forgive me for taking so long. I'll try to pick up the pace with updates… I want to thank my best friend, Akai Yuki, who kept asking when I planned on updating. Thanks, Nat! **Read and review!**

Note: The song Yukari sings in this chapter is the English translation of "No Need for Promises." (As most of you probably can tell without me reminding you…)

**Tears of the Heart**

_You  
You_

You are still a whisper on my lips  
A feeling at my fingertips  
That's pulling at my skin

You leave me when I'm at my worst  
Feeling as if I've been cursed  
Bitter cold within

Days go by and still I think of you  
Days when I couldn't live my life without you  
Days go by and still I think of you  
Days when I couldn't live my life without you  
Without you  
Without you

You are still a whisper on my lips  
A feeling at my fingertips  
That's pulling at my skin

You leave me when I'm at my worst  
Feeling as if I've been cursed  
Bitter cold within

Days go by and still I think of you  
Days when I couldn't live my life without you  
Without you  
Without you

Days go by and still I think of you  
Days when I couldn't live my life without you  
Days go by and still I think of you  
Days when I couldn't live my life without you  
Without you  
Without you  
Without you  
Without you  
Without you

-"Days Go By" by Dirty Vegas

Chapter 7: I'll Be Waiting

"So, is everyone this lonely

When they're in love?

They embrace a pain

Deeper than the shadows?

It's all

To make us shine,

I just know it!

I… I love you

I gaze at you with my heart

I… I believe in you

Even on the coldest of nights…

I call out to you with my tears

But I don't need any promises

It's thanks to the precious strength

That you've given me…" Yukari sang softly. Probably not the ideal lullaby, but still, it set the mood.

_I wish I remembered where I heard that song… _Yukari mused to herself. She was quite fond of it, but she drew a blank as to how she knew it.

Yukari rocked back and fourth, softly humming a lullaby to her unborn child. All of a sudden she heard a faint beeping noise and jerked her head in surprise, noticing that the sound was coming from her duffle bag in the corner. She dropped the baby cap she had been working on, walking over to investigate. She flung various clothes, mementos, schoolwork, and track gear out of the bag until she found what she was looking for.

"It's my pager…" Yukari exclaimed in excitement, amazed that it still worked so far from home.

**WHERE ARE YOU YUKARI? **It read across the screen.

"It's… It's from Amano…" she whispered in disbelief, staring at the message in wonder. She didn't know whether to smile or cry when she stood up, as the pager clattered to the floor.

"It's… It's from Amano…" she whispered in disbelief, staring at the message in wonder. She didn't know whether to smile or cry when she stood up, as the pager clattered to the floor.

"London Bridge is falling down,

Falling down,

Falling down,

London Bridge is falling down,

My fair lady…" Hitomi sat on a simple wooden bridge, her feet dangling over the edge. The Vione was docked once more and she was enjoying this time outside the ship. She hadn't an inkling why she was singing such a childish nursery rhyme. She was seventeen for God's sake. If Yukari knew… As if on cue, she looked up to see Yukari blinking down at her.

"Glad I'm not in London." Yukari remarked casually, trying not to laugh.

"So I'm a bit homesick! Jeez, give me a break!" Hitomi remarked in annoyance.

"Uh, Newsflash Hitomi! We don't **live **in London." Yukari commented, sweatdropping.

"I know. It hasn't been **that** long!" Hitomi replied stubbornly, rather putout that her friend was acting as if she'd lost her memory or something. "I was just remembering when Mamoru was younger… He'd just begun to study English and I taught him that song…" She looked down at the water, her reflection staring back at her. "Yukari… Do you ever wonder if we're actually the reflection of our reflections?" she asked softly, staring into her copy's face.

"There you go, Hitomi. You think of the weirdest things." Yukari shook her head, sitting down beside her to stare at her own reflection.

"Yeah. I know." Hitomi admitted softly, hugging her knees. "But if you think about it… wouldn't you disappear, if your reflection moved away?"

"Kinda makes you want to hang around, huh?" Yukari commented thoughtfully.

"I guess." Hitomi nodded. "I suppose I'm just tired of all of this. All the traveling and fighting and such. Maybe I just miss home…" She watched a flower blossom glide through the water silently, reaching down to scoop it out with her cupped hands.

"I wish I could just drift away. I don't belong here. I'll never make a good queen." she whispered, letting the blossom float off with the soft breeze.

"Hitomi… You didn't ask for this… Didn't you ever hear the saying, 'People become great when greatness is thrust upon them?' I mean, give yourself a break… You don't owe these people anything… In fact, technically, they owe **you**." Yukari replied lazily.

"I mean… Folken and Dilandau and that old guy… what was his name again? They tried to kill you more times than I can count. And **you **feel **sorry** that **you aren't** the ideal empress?! For Pete's sake Hitomi, I think that something's wrong with your head!" Yukari rolled her eyes at her friend in frustration. "Ever since we were little, you always took the blame for **everything**! When I broke the neighbor's window with that baseball while we were playing in the yard, **you** said that **you** threw it! When Mamoru ate half of the pie that your mother left out to cool, **you** said that **you** messily devoured it! And when we didn't win the sectional track meet, **you** claimed that it was because of **your** score! Honestly, Hitomi! Stop being such a martyr! You aren't responsible for everything! And you don't always have to take the blame!"

"I still feel guilty… Everyone's counting on me…" Hitomi said softly.

"Ugh…" Yukari murmured in defeat, sweatdropping. "You're hopeless."

"WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?" Hitomi demanded. Things would have almost been normal between the two friends if circumstances hadn't dictated otherwise.

"Amano… Amano… Amano…" Yukari chanted in her sleep, as though his name was her mantra. She smiled slightly. She was dreaming about him again.

_They were in their apartment. The one that they'd chosen together to rent after their marriage. They were sitting on the couch, drinking coffee, both smiling as he paged through one of his medical journals while she caught up on what she'd been missing in her fashion magazine. He casually wrapped an arm around her shoulder, causing her to blush. She looked up at him, when he pulled back his book. Her smile turned to a gasp of horror._

"_Isn't this quaint?" The man beside her wasn't Amano anymore._

"_Dilandau…" she hissed as he laughed sadistically. "I hate you! Get out of my dream!" she shrieked._

"_Too bad, Bitch! You're mine now, and there isn't anything that you can do about it!"_

_And there isn't anything you can do about it…_

_Do about it…_

_Do about it…_

The former track captain awoke in a cold sweat. She looked over to see her husband snoring peacefully beside her.

"It was just a dream…" she whispered. "Just a dream…" She looked down at Dilandau's sleeping face and smiled slightly. He was alright when he wasn't awake. However, she chose to take this opportunity to grab the glass of water on the bedside table and dump it into his open, snoring mouth. "I don't like snorers." She commented as he sputtered and choked, springing up in confusion. "Goodnight, Dear!" She immediately closed her eyes, feigning sleep as Dilandau gave her an accusing look.

"Ha. Ha. Goodnight to you too, Bitch…" He grumbled. The way that she was behaving was disturbing. Perhaps they had spent too much time together. He thought that he might be rubbing off on her.

"Yukari!" Hitomi pounded on the door. "Come on! You promised that you'd go to the shore with me! Yukari! We leave port tomorrow! YUKARI!" The girl whined desperately, as she had now grown accustomed to her friend being practically deaf and this everyday routine. "And I know that Dilandau isn't in there because Folken assigned him to a 'top secret' mission this morning!"

"Wrong again, Bitch!" Dilandau snarled, shoving her against the wall.

"My, this is becoming quite familiar…" Hitomi muttered, rolling her eyes as he released her from his vice-like grip.

"I must be losing my touch…" he murmured in annoyance, strapping on his sword and storming out.

"He must be late. **Really**late. He overslept. He's in trouble…" Yukari muttered, rolling her eyes.

"Too bad that there is no secret mission…" Hitomi replied, grinning.

"You're getting awful tricky… So, we're going to the beach, right?" Yukari stood up from where she was sitting.

"Yeah, weren't you listening to me yesterday?" Hitomi arched an eyebrow in annoyance.

"Of course." Yukari mumbled.

"Hey Hitomi…"

"Hmm?" Hitomi turned from her position at the door.

"I have something else to tell you…" Yukari muttered.

"Jeez Yukari… You are way too secretive for your own good, you know that?" Hitomi commented in exasperation, flopping down on her friend's bed and looking up at her curiously.

"Enlighten me."

"Well, remember when we were 15? Our moms were **so** proud that we were going off to high school that they bought us pagers…"

"And new backpacks, too…" Hitomi added absentmindedly. "Yeah. That was great."

"Well, yeah… Anyway, that day when we were abducted, I don't know about you, but I had my pager with me. And I still have it." Yukari commented, beginning to shift from foot to foot.

"Mine's on my dresser at home. Where are you going with this, Yukari?" Hitomi asked suspiciously.

"I… I got a message…" She turned to look out the window.

"You've gotta be kidding me!" Hitomi shrieked in surprise, leaping up.

"I thought it was impossible… But I guess not…" Yukari whispered. She handed the beeping device to Hitomi.

"Where are you Yukari?" Hitomi whispered in disbelief. She looked at Yukari who had a pained expression. "It's from Amano, isn't it?"

"Who else? But don't you realize what this means, Hitomi?" Yukari asked softly, running her fingers through her hair.

"Amano … he hasn't given up on me yet… After all this time… he still thinks that I'm alright…" She sighed.

"He also doesn't know that you're on a different planet…" Hitomi added quietly. "There aren't that many payphones around."

"Yeah, but… He's thinking of me. I don't belong here… Maybe this is the world for you, but I… I just don't like it here… I miss home… I miss my family and Amano… Hitomi… I can't go on living like this…" she whispered, slumping to the floor.

"Hey." Hitomi put a reassuring hand on her friend's shoulder. "It's going to be alright! You worry too much! I mean, if something bad was going to happen, I would have had one of those strange visions by now…" she muttered at a voice-level that Yukari wasn't able to hear.

Hitomi froze for a moment, her skin ice-cold to the touch, her eyes wide and filled with horror.

"Hitomi?" Yukari whispered in concern, waving a hand in front of her friend's face. "Are you alright? Hitomi?" The girl was frozen in place, as though they were playing statues or freeze tag. "Damn it, Hitomi! WAKE UP!""She slapped her friend across the face, hoping that it would snap her out of it. She was relieved when a red mark appeared on the girl's cheek from where she had been struck and she took a quick breath before falling to her knees.

"Blood…" Hitomi whispered, staring at her hands as though they were caked in the crimson liquid. "So much blood… It is coming… Very soon…" She said softly, hugging her knees, bringing her face into them and sobbing softly as Yukari did the best she could to comfort her.

"There was no 'Secret Mission…'" Dilandau muttered angrily as he reentered the room approximately ten minutes after Hitomi had left to visit with Ari and Yuushi.

"Guess she gotcha that time, huh? It serves you right for being such a jackass all the time. You were fooled by a 'stupid' girl!" Yukari commented smugly, laughing at his angry expression.

"Damn it, Girl! If our kid is as annoying as you are…" he threatened until he realized what he'd let slip. Yukari immediately stopped laughing and looked at him as though he'd just shot her.

"Y-You… know…?" she asked shakily, clutching at her chest to try to cease her rapid heartbeat.

"Of course, I know! When you talk, it's like you're using a loud-speaker!" he replied indignantly. "Even if you whisper, it's like you're screaming!"

"So you were eavesdropping on Hitomi and me, huh?" Yukari glared at her husband, enraged beyond belief.

"Yes, if trying to find out what the hell's wrong with your wench is eavesdropping, I suppose that's what I did!" he defended himself, not understanding why he had to.

"I can't believe that you'd stoop so low as to spy on me!" she shrieked angrily.

"IT WASN'T SPYING! It was gathering information!" Dilandau yelled back.

"Whatever! You know what? I don't even care anymore! See you at breakfast, you bastard!" she hissed, storming out of the room.

"This really isn't shaping up to be your day, is it?" Hitomi asked, meeting up with her friend outside the door to go to the dining room.

"No…" Yukari sighed sadly. "I guess not."

Folken sat in his usual oversized chair, staring at a piece of parchment, occasionally blinking.

"So, as I was saying…" Hitomi halted her conversation with Yukari, noting Folken's disturbed expression. "It's another letter from Van, right?" she deduced.

"You are correct. This one implores me to give up my idealistic ways and embrace a free world." Folken replied indifferently.

"Same old, same old?" Hitomi asked, sighing. She wished that she could write to the young Fanelian king, but her mail was monitored. Every time she attempted to send word that she was all right, the message was intercepted and destroyed. She must have lost over 100 letters that way.

"Yes… Oh yes, it also requests that I aid him in his quest to find his dear Hitomi." He looked at her curiously.

"What?" She gave Folken a look that meant if he was making this part up that she would strangle him.

"He misses you terribly, apparently." Folken commented.

"He says that he's positive that you're on Gaea again. He's looking for you."

_Van hasn't given up on me? But it's been so long… 2.5 years… And he's still waiting for me to return to him…? _She was happy that he still cared for her, but frightened at the thought that he might be putting his life on the line in order to find her again.

"What do I do?" she whispered too quietly for anyone to hear.

"That's devotion alright…" Yukari commented, nodding in approval. "You're far too popular for your own good Hitomi." she teased, grinning at her worried best friend.

"Shut up, Yukari!" Hitomi hissed in annoyance as Folken gave them an odd look.

_Girls from the Mystic Moon are indeed strange…_ He noted.

"Anyway, can we eat or what?" She looked to Folken for an answer.

"Oh. Yes. Of course." He nodded slightly and several servants entered with breakfast.

"See, I told you that he was trainable. Now if you could only get him to stop wearing that tacky cape." Yukari commented, chewing on some strange, cereal-like product.

"Whatever you say, Yukari…" Hitomi murmured, trying not to look at whatever was on her plate. She still didn't want to know the mystery behind the meat. "So, have you told you know who about you know what?"

"Uh…" Yukari began as Dilandau barged in. "Later…" she muttered, shifting focus. "Shall we bow to you now, oh great and fearless leader?" She asked sarcastically.

"Only you." He nodded as Yukari rolled her eyes. "Stupid whore…"

"Son of a bitch…" Yukari countered.

"Just like our son, what a coincidence!" Dilandau remarked. At this comment, Yukari stood up, leaving the room. "What did I say?" he asked in annoyance.

"First, how the hell did you find out? Second, this is a sensitive time for her you stupid jerk!" Hitomi hissed.

"Calling your pregnant wife a bitch is no way to create a solid relationship."

"We have no relationship!" Dilandau protested angrily. "She's just here until I get sick of her and send her packing… Who needs that stupid bitch anyway? I'll take the kid and she can go back to her stupid Earth boy!" Everyone turned when they heard a small sob, and the clatter of feet running down the hallway. "What was that?" Dilandau asked in confusion.

"I think that she heard you…" Hitomi said softly, getting up to go comfort her friend. Dilandau sighed in defeat as Folken shook his head. Those two would **never** get along.

The next morning, they sat in their accustomed seats. Everyone except Yukari, that is.

"You are such an insensitive jerk." Hitomi commented, disgusted by Dilandau's behavior.

"I don't remember anyone asking your opinion, Wench!" Dilandau sneered.

"It's no wonder Yukari was crying! Anyone would cry waking up to a face like that…" Hitomi muttered.

Dilandau was about to make a crude rebuttal when the red-haired girl in question walked in. Her crimson locks were frazzled and uncombed, while her face was red and puffy from crying.

"Good morning." she said softly.

"You look like Hell." Dilandau commented as Hitomi whacked him over the head in fury.

"Have some breakfast!" Hitomi turned her focus to Yukari, speaking cheerfully. "You can sit next to me instead of that bastard!" She beamed.

"I don't need breakfast…" Yukari murmured.

"But Yukari, you need to keep up your strength. You're eating for two now, right? What's wrong?" asked Hitomi as she and the two men followed the pale-faced girl to the ship's center where Dilandau had mourned over his slayers over two years ago.

"You all know my condition." she said weakly. "I was with the healer yesterday evening. It's a boy."

"That's wonderful, Yukari," Hitomi said encouragingly.

"No. You see, it's not wonderful. I didn't want to betray Amano. I didn't want to become pregnant. And I certainly don't want to be here. I'm eighteen. Today's my birthday. I'm eighteen years old. I don't want to have a baby who will live with an uncaring father in a war-zone. I don't want to grow old with a life filled with nothing but regrets. Now… For once in my life… I'm doing what **I** want. Something for **me**." Her chest was wracked with quiet sobs.

"Yukari…" Hitomi pleaded. Where was she going with this?

"Dilandau… I named our son after you. I thought that you'd like that. You always did only think of yourself." She walked over to Hitomi and hugged her gently.

"Hitomi… You were the best friend that I ever had. Don't forget about me. And tell Amano… that I'll be waiting…" she whispered softly.

Then she walked over to the hole in the floor and gazed upon the beautiful scenery below her. She smiled genuinely for the first time in six months and whispered, "Later!"

She then leapt over the railing and plummeted headfirst into the countryside below, her red hair flowing behind her like a flag of victory.

"Blood…" Hitomi whispered, eyes wide. "NO! NO!" she shrieked, running towards the opening and preparing to fling herself after her friend. Folken stepped forward quickly, holding her back as she flailed her arms wildly, trying to escape his grasp. "NO! FOLKEN! LET ME GO! I HAVE TO SAVE HER! FOLKEN! LET ME GO!" she screamed hysterically, clawing, biting, and scratching her captor.

"Folken…" Dilandau muttered gravely. He seemed to still be in shock. And who could blame him?

"FOLKEN! SAVE HER! YOU CAN FLY, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD! SAVE HER! Please…" Hitomi's voice trembled as she fell to her knees.

"No, Hitomi. Yukari finally got what she wanted." Folken murmured in his usual stoic manner, walking away, leaving the weeping girl to grieve.

"But it wasn't what she deserved…" She hugged her knees, trying to remember how things once were and would never be again.

Hitomi walked in later to find Dilandau leaning over the railing. His eyes seemed disbelieving and wider than she'd ever seen them. Perhaps he couldn't grasp that his wife and unborn son were no more. For some strange reason, she pitied him. She wondered how this was possible.

_He's the monster who caused all of this…_

_But don't you think that he's grieving as well… Her conscience whispered._

She shook her head, clearing the voice from her mind. She noticed that he clutched a single red rose in his gloved hand and was twirling it ever so slowly. He didn't seem to notice her presence.

"Yukari…" He murmured. The word felt strange on his lips. "I'm sorry. Please, forgive me." He tossed the rose over the side, turning before he could see it hit the ground far below.

_Hitomi felt someone bouncing on her bed. Up and down. Up and down._

"_HITOMI! WAKE UP!" Merle's high-pitched voice screeched._

"_Merle?" Hitomi murmured in disbelief._

"_Well, duh! Who did you think it was, you silly girl? Lord Van?" Hitomi's face turned red and Merle knew that she'd struck a chord. She grabbed Hitomi's bow, tying it around her neck and pulled Hitomi's tennis shoes on, to the girl's great annoyance. "Oh __**why**__ do I keep __**seeing**__ these things? __**Why **__oh __**why**__? Oh __**Van**__! Where __**are**__ you? I __**need**__ you __**Van**__!" She fell on her back laughing as Hitomi towards her, ready to strangle her._

_The door opened and the boy in question walked in._

"_What are you two doing?" He asked, hand on his hip, an eyebrow arched in confusion._

"_Oh, Hitomi was just telling me how much she loves y-" Hitomi clamped her hand over the annoying catgirl's mouth._

"_What?" Van asked in puzzlement._

"_Oh, nothing, Van!" Hitomi excused him from the room before the angry catgirl bit her. "OW! BAD KITTY!"_

"_Wait for me! Wait for me, Lord Van!" Merle pleaded, bounding out of the room after his retreating form. _

"_Was it all just a dream?" she whispered. She realized she was in her room in Asturia. She sat in the bay window, looking out over the city. "But Merle is dead…" She hugged her knees. "Everything that has happened… Could it all have been just an illusion?"_

_Then, everything faded away. It was hot… So very hot. She was burning. She looked off into the distance. There was Folken, in a guymelef. Van looked at his brother who had betrayed him. _

"_Hello, Brother." Van hissed._

"_We finish this today!" She could already see the blood. So much blood. Everywhere. It was covering everything. There was no way of escaping it…_

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" she shrieked. She awoke in a cold sweat. She jumped out of bed, still in her silk nightgown, blindly dashing towards Folken's room. She burst through the door, gasping for air.

"What's going on?" he muttered, rubbing his eyes and blinking at her in confusion.

"Folken… I can't sleep… Can I stay with you tonight?" she pleaded, not making direct eye contact with him.

He was about to send her away. Then he saw her sad, lonely eyes. Surely he could let her stay here for just one night without everyone assuming too much…

"Of course."

"Thank you, Folken." she whispered. She lay down beside him, wrapping her arms around him and closing her eyes. He studied her curiously, before falling asleep to the sound of her soft, rhythmic breathing.

A/N: Wow! I did it! Oh yeah, we're not getting the dog that I wanted. We're getting my second-choice, this little black dog named Lucy. God… I had to bribe my sister with $20 not to change the dog's name to Angel Heaven Lucy Byerly… She got to name it since we didn't pick her dog… You should hear what she came up with for her guinea pig! Anyway, thanks for reading!

Next Time On "Tears of the Heart":

"_What's that noise?" Hitomi wondered aloud, getting out of her chair and grabbing a candle._

_Where is it coming from? She whispered in the deep recesses of her thoughts. She could see the pendant in her mind. It swung straight ahead. _

"_The guymelef hangar?" she seemed to direct her question at the pendant in confusion. This was a day off and it was the middle of the night. No one should be in there._

_She proceeded to the hangar, opening the door slowly for fear of what she might find behind it. What she saw was a boy. A boy with dark raven hair. His back was to her. But when he heard the door open, he turned towards her. She dropped her candle, not even noticing the sharp clatter it made as it rolled across the floor._

"_It's you…" she gasped as the man nodded, smiling at her._

_  
"It's nice to see you again, Hitomi."_


	8. I Never Liked the Rain

Disclaimer: I don't own Escaflowne, its characters, or any flashbacks from the series. The original characters are my own. I also don't own the song "I Will Remember You" by Sarah McLachlan.

A/N: Hey, it's me again! I would be surprised if there haven't been wagers on if I've died or not. I'm sorry. I really am. My life's just been really hectic. My boyfriend moved away so we broke up. So now my ex-BF is trying to get back with me when I am totally not interested. I got a part in the school play, "Oliver Twist". I'm going for the 7th and 8th Grade Straight A's Award. I have finals coming up. I'm trying to work hard enough to be ready to try out for U-High cheerleading by busting my butt at gymnastics. My Band instructor is having a nervous breakdown because we can't master his ridiculously difficult pieces. On the bright side our dog is working out, although she's très hyper and we got Microsoft Word XP! Please, be patient with me and again, I'm really sorry. Now I'll stop making excuses and get on with the fic. Thanks!

**Tears of the Heart**

_I will remember you  
Will you remember me?  
Don't let your life pass you by  
Weep not for the memories_

Remember the good times that we had?  
I let them slip away from us when things got bad  
How clearly I first saw you smilin' in the sun  
Wanna feel your warmth upon me, I wanna be the one

I will remember you  
Will you remember me?  
Don't let your life pass you by  
Weep not for the memories

I'm so tired but I can't sleep  
Standin' on the edge of something much too deep  
It's funny how we feel so much but we cannot say a word  
We are screaming inside, but we can't be heard

But I will remember you  
Will you remember me?  
Don't let your life pass you by  
Weep not for the memories

I'm so afraid to love you, but more afraid to loose  
Clinging to a past that doesn't let me choose  
Once there was a darkness, deep and endless night  
You gave me everything you had, oh you gave me light

And I will remember you  
Will you remember me?  
Don't let your life pass you by  
Weep not for the memories

And I will remember you  
Will you remember me?  
Don't let your life pass you by  
Weep not for the memories  
Weep not for the memories

-"I Will Remember You" by Sarah McLachlan

Chapter 8: I Never Liked the Rain

"Milady… I wish that I had hair like yours…" Ari commented idly as Hitomi smiled slightly, shaking her head in objection.

"No, you really don't… For some reason, when I was a girl I practically shaved my head. I looked like a boy. I'm embarrassed just talking about it…" Her face flushed as she chuckled softly.

"Ah. I was wondering about its length. Usually girls of your age have hair a great deal longer. We don't have ha-re dres-surs here! Did I say it right?" She beamed as Hitomi sweatdropped.

"Uh… Sure…" She nodded hesitantly as Ari grinned.

"I think that Yuushi's going to be put on night patrol next week! I'm so proud!" Ari's eyes literally shone with pride.

"Don't you worry about him?" Hitomi arched an eyebrow in puzzlement.

"Of course. But if he wasn't a Dragonslayer, he'd probably have been drafted as a foot soldier. He's in danger no matter what I do, so I might as well appreciate his high rank." She smiled softly. She finished brushing the queen's hair and beamed once more.

"Done. If that's all, I'll say goodnight now, Lady."

"Goodnight, Ari."

"Pleasant dreams." the girl wished her well as she left and Hitomi blew out her candle, climbing into bed.

_Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock._

"_I'm glad you're alright, Kanzaki…"_

"_**Amano?" Hitomi whispered, eyes widening as she spun around in the blackness.**_

"_I've heard how you saved Lord Van's life. As soon as the ceremony's over, we'll do everything in our power to get you back to the Mystic Moon…" Balgus promised her solemnly._

"_**But it was too late for Balgus…" Hitomi realized gravely. **_

"_**It was too late for most of my friends…" She saw Merle, Allen, Millerna, and the rest of them falling into pools of blood as the rain fell silently.**_

"_**I never liked the rain… It always seemed sad to me… Tragic even…"**_

"_Your predictions always come true, Hitomi…" one of her friends commented fervently._

"_That's amazing. Not even Plactu can predict the future. Hitomi, can you tell me my future…?" Chid asked hopefully. _

"_Your wishes are rooted in deep anxiety. Such wishes only make those anxieties real."_

"_Tell me my future…" Millerna implored anxiously before her marriage to Dryden._

"_**Yes… I can see the future… can't I? But the question is… do I want to?" **_

"_A bunch of cards can't tell you your fortune…" Van grumbled._

"_**But there were always those who mocked the cards… They eventually found out that they were always right… Always…" Hitomi murmured grimly.**_

"_Escaflowne's pain is my pain. The pain of war…"_

"_This world where man fights against man… No, where every living thing fights to take the life of another. We kill beasts. We kill dragons. We even kill men. Fighting begets fighting and the slaughter begins anew. Such is the way of the world…" _

"_I mustn't allow any further loss of life…" Allen warned Van who looked enraged at the knight's pacifism._

"_Well, if you don't fight, you're just waiting to be killed…"_

"_Fighting solves nothing…" Folken muttered forebodingly._

"_There is nothing brave about rashly choosing to die!" Allen yelled at the young Fanelian king._

"_War is the destiny of which humanity can never wash its hands…" Dornkirk warned the terrified trio as they were trapped in Zaibach._

"_No more! I don't want to fight anymore! I'm sick of it!" Van shrieked._

"_Never throw your life away so easily…" Folken warned Van, tossing his sword at him._

"_You mean fighting to bring an end to fighting? I think you'll find there's no such thing…" Van commented angrily at Folken's implications._

"_**They resisted the war… and all the pain it caused… Nothing good ever comes of war… Nothing but sadness…"**_

"_I'll keep my word, just like I promised. Whether it's to Allen or the Mystic Moon, I'll bring you back safely. I won't let you down…" Van vowed softly._

"_As Fanelia's king, I'm going to avenge my people!" Van proclaimed proudly._

"_You don't know how glad we are to have met you, Lord Folken…" Eriya whispered as she died with her sister aboard the Vione._

"_One proves innocence through one's deeds…" Chid commented when he released her and the others._

"_I'm never going to give up…" Millerna whispered as Allen rode out of sight._

"_Hitomi, if you wish hard enough, your wishes will come true…" Her Grandmother whispered._

"_**And yet, in spite of everything… There's always hope…" She smiled softly.**_

Hitomi awoke to a light rain pattering against the windowpane. Perhaps the rain was what had woken her. She sighed, staring out the window at the two moons glowing in the distance.

_Will I ever see my home again…?_ She wondered silently, hanging her head in doubt. Then she heard a loud clang and the scrape of something metallic.

"What's that noise?" Hitomi wondered aloud, getting out of her chair and grabbing a candle.

_Where is it coming from?_ She whispered in the deep recesses of her thoughts. She could see the pendant in her mind. It swung straight ahead.

"The guymelef hangar?" she seemed to direct her question at the pendant in confusion. This was a day off and it was the middle of the night. No one should be in there.

She proceeded to the hangar, opening the door slowly for fear of what she might find behind it. What she saw was a boy. A boy with dark raven hair. His back was to her. But when he heard the door open, he turned towards her. She dropped her candle, not even noticing the sharp clatter it made as it rolled across the floor.

"It's you…" she gasped as the man nodded, smiling at her.

"It's nice to see you again, Hitomi." Van whispered as her eyes widened.

"It's really you… Van… You're alive! But why…? Why are you here…?" The concern in her voice was evident to herself, but perhaps not to the young king because he scowled in irritation.

"I thought that you'd be happier about my arrival. I thought that you needed me…" he grumbled in obvious irritation.

"No! I didn't mean it that way at all! I'm so happy that you're here with me, Van!" She smiled, rushing up to him and placing a hand on his broad shoulder. "I was really worried about you…" she admitted softly, a faint blush on her cheeks. She could see he was about to say something and quickly jumped in. "And please don't give me that, 'I don't need any woman to worry about me' bit, because it didn't work the first time and it's unlikely to work now…" She nodded as he gave her a surprised look. "I'm sorry, Van…"

"What for?" he asked in puzzlement.

"For leaving you guys here… without my help… I could have helped. I could have saved them… If I hadn't been so childish, maybe things would have turned out differently." Her eyes widened with surprise as he caught her by the chin and lifted her face up to look directly into his dark eyes.

"It's not your fault. You had no control over the others' fates. They died valiantly and will always be remembered. I don't want you to be sad for them."

"I'm not exactly sad for them…" Hitomi confided, looking to one side awkwardly. "I'm sad that they left us here, behind… That they expect us to go through life without them… But I know that I won't, I can't Van… I'll never forget Allen or Merle or the others… I want to, but I never will…" She shook her head sadly, tears blurring her vision. She was surprised once more as he reached out with a gloved hand and gently wiped a tear away.

"Please don't cry…" he murmured. He was acting so strange. Not cold and emotionless like the Van she knew. Something about him had changed.

"So, what has happened to you, Hitomi?" he asked softly, studying her as though he was intent on memorizing any changes that had occurred during her rather lengthy absence.

"Van… Everything's different now… But I missed you… I think that I missed you most of all." She pressed her face into his chest. He smelled of the fields. Apparently that much hadn't changed. She inhaled deeply. Being with him was like therapy for her, taking away the cross she was forced to bear.

"I was brought here by that strange pillar of light. But this time, Yukari was transported here with me. Van… We were brought here by Zaibach sorcerers. I was married to Folken… I'm the Empress of Zaibach now…" she whispered gravely, tears in her eyes as she looked up at his face, seeing the rage that she knew was going to be there.

"That arrogant bastard! I'll tear him limb from limb! I'll destroy him and his entire fleet! Damn him!" he yelled angrily.

"You may not wish to awaken the hundreds of soldiers and guards that are stationed here… Just a thought…" Hitomi commented.

He grabbed her by the shoulders, shaking her rigorously.

"Hitomi!" he cried urgently before looking a bit odd, not seeming to be able to find the right words. Or perhaps he could find them, but **really **didn't want to say them.

"Has he… er… um…"

"Has he what, Van?" she asked, looked a bit perplexed.

"Oh for God's sake, Hitomi! Has he touched you?!" Van burst out and said what she predicted he would. Sometimes the cards weren't necessary.

"Of course not!" Her cheeks were a flaming red. "Nothing has gone on between us… However, Yukari was killed because of Dilandau's attachment to her…" She shuddered at the memory of her best friend's tragic death.

"I'm sorry." Van murmured remorsefully. "But I will kill Folken for what he has done. You are mine and no one will dispute that claim…" She looked up in obvious surprise, but he continued to be stern-faced.

"There were so many times… that I thought I'd give up… that I thought I'd never see you again… There were so many times when I cried myself to sleep, knowing that the chances of you being alive were second to nil. But you're here now. And I… Please, Van… Just hold me. Just for a moment. Just so I know that this is real… I don't know the difference between dream and reality anymore…" Tears filled her eyes as she crushed herself against him, crying softly into his shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her.

"I'll always be there for you…" he promised softly. "Always…"

"Now isn't this touching?" a smooth voice commented sarcastically. She recognized that voice. Apparently so did Van.

"Dilandau…" he hissed furiously as the diabolical Adonis appeared out of nowhere.

"I'm glad that you remember my name, Van… I thought that getting hit in the head so many times in battle might have caused you a few brain lapses…" the insane man chucked softly.

"Not as many as you, you bastard…" Van jeered angrily at his arch-nemesis.

"It's been a while since we've fought… This will be quite amusing, don't you think?" He drew his sword, cackling as Van drew his own and Hitomi stepped back.

"If that's what you call it, then sure!" Van agreed bitterly.

"Now, now, don't get mad, _**Sire**_…" Dilandau sneered. "Your little bitch has been having a lot of fun with your brother though, if you know what I mean…" He grinned as Van snarled.

"Take it back!" he demanded, clashing swords with Dilandau.

"Why should I? It's a common-known fact around here… I'm surprised that the whore isn't pregnant by now with the way **she **sleeps around…" he snickered at his commentary.

"TAKE IT BACK!" Van demanded again, slicing into Dilandau's cheek. The captain briefly touched it with his gloved hand, growling angrily at yet another scar on his formerly-flawless visage.

"I can't take back the truth, Dragon boy…" he ridiculed Van further.

"**TAKE**. **IT**. **BACK**!" Van shrieked once more, pinning him against the wall. The pyromaniac gulped nervously as the blade sawed at his pale throat with every breath.

"Van…" Hitomi murmured in wonderment as she saw the two men in a deadlock.

"Well, well, Brother. I see that you've seen my wife and become reacquainted with an old friend…" Folken commented upon ominously entering the room.

"If you had informed us ahead of time, we could have arranged for a formal greeting upon your arrival. Perhaps one of those noisy parades or something of the sort…" he continued derisively as Van glared.

"I despise you…" Van whispered, glowering at his older sibling.

"My feelings can be described as mutual…" Folken replied emotionlessly. "I'd ask now that you get off of my ship and out of my country… before I'm forced to end your life…" He drew a sword at his side threateningly.

"No…" Hitomi whispered. "No… It isn't supposed to be this way…" She watched as Dilandau stood, staring at the two men from the corner as though he'd lost all comprehension of what was going on. Van and Folken, the Draconian brothers, sized each other up, apparently planning to fight to the death.

"STOP IT!" she shrieked, but they ignored her. Everyone ignored her. She grew quite tired of it.

"Strategos…" Dilandau murmured in confusion.

Folken planned attacks. Folken drew up schematics. Folken gave orders. Folken didn't fight. It was a most peculiar sight. As though he had made a snap decision, the silver-haired seventeen-year-old rushed in and was quickly met by Van's sword. Van sliced through him effortlessly and the Adonis slid sickly to the ground, drenched in blood. Hitomi tried to hold back a silent scream as she saw his body clatter to the floor, his eyes rolling back.

"Tell her…" He mumbled absently as Hitomi rushed over to cradle his head in her lap.

"Tell her what, Dilandau?" Hitomi asked in confusion.

"Sorry…" Dilandau murmured before his eyes closed and his body fell limp.

"In killing Dilandau I must draw the line, Van. He was one of my most trusted men… You will pay for his death…" Folken informed his younger sibling irately.

"I will never let you have, Hitomi..." Van swore heatedly. "NEVER!" He charged forward, tearing through Folken's cape as the older boy simply shrugged it off, allowing it to flutter to the floor.

"NOW, DIE!" He thrashed at him continuously, attempting to strike the blue-haired emperor to no avail. "DAMN YOU!" He stood, gasping as his shoulders rose and fell in exhaustion.

"I believe that your death approaches swiftly, Brother…" Folken observed icily as he charged forward.

"I've got to do something…" Hitomi murmured, staring at the battle. It was then that she knew what she had to do. She made her own charge, throwing herself between the two brothers.

As the final blow was struck, a small cry was heard. Folken looked down and saw that he had not pierced the chest of his brother, as he had intended to repay him for his treachery, but instead, the arm of his own wife.

_What have I done?_ He thought in horror as he withdrew his sword. Van stood, gaping silently at the young woman. He couldn't believe what had just transpired. Hitomi's face tightened in pain. She couldn't let them kill each other. She was just lucky, or unlucky, depending on how you looked at it, that he had gotten her in the arm instead of the heart.

"It's over…" she whispered. "It's finally over… I don't want to see this anymore or ever again… I will no longer sit by and watch the people I care about die…"

"Because you cannot work out your differences, thousands of people have lost their lives… Because of your selfish, cruel, manipulative behavior, thousands of people are dead… You killed them… You're a disgrace…" her voice shook with emotion, her face already red with tears. "But I won't see it anymore… I won't! If you two have to kill each other, then you'll kill each other without me being forced to witness it…" She turned away from the wide-eyed boys.

"Please… I know that I don't have the pendent, but please, send me home…" she whispered softly. The column of light reappeared and Hitomi allowed herself to be lifted into the air.

"Goodbye…" she murmured. The two men felt their hearts break as the girl they loved disappeared into the endless sky.

A/N: No, it's **not** over. I'd have a little "The End" tag if it was. This fic will probably be about 14 to15 chapters long, I'm guessing. I'm not really sure yet. This was **way** longer, but I cut out a part of it for a later chapter because it didn't fit anymore. Again, I'm so sorry for neglecting this fic and all you loyal readers. I hope that you haven't completely forgotten about me. And I hope that I still get some reviews for the fic that's never updated… I know that this sounds aggravating, but I'll probably not be able to update again until June… I have a ton of other stuff to work on and finals are coming up. But I **promise **that I'll update in June after school lets out. Scout's honor. (I'm a GS, you know!) If I haven't updated by then, send me angry emails. It probably means that I forgot… (I'm blonde, give me a break…)

Next Time On "Tears of the Heart":

"_VAN- COME TO ZAIBACH. I CAN BRING BACK HITOMI."  
_

"_What…?" Van whispered in confusion as the boy trembled a bit, noting the expression of anger and disbelief on the young king's visage. He quickly scurried away, leaving Van to his thoughts._

"_Hitomi… Can be returned?" He asked the silence, although he expected no reply._


	9. Where the Heart Lies

Disclaimer: I don't own "The Vision of Escaflowne," nor do I claim to. If you think that I do, then you're rather stupid I'm sorry to say… Any original characters are property of the author. Any flashbacks from the series or characters from the series do not belong to me, either. The song "Somewhere Out There" belongs to James Horner and the song "Overjoyed" belongs to Stevie Wonder.

A/N: I've got the rest of this fic set in stone so now I just have to rewrite it… I spent eight hours on the way home from Wisconsin yesterday jotting little notes to myself while listening to American Idol songs and my Escaflowne soundtrack. Oh yes, and this fic is going to be 15 chapters long in total… It has **finally** been decided! Yay! So **review when you're done** or I may just file what I've written away to babble about incoherently to my grandkids when I'm 60…

**Tears of the Heart**

_Somewhere out there_

_Beneath the pale moonlight_

_Someone's thinking of me_

_And loving me tonight_

_Somewhere out there_

_Someone's saying a prayer_

_That we'll find one another_

_In that big somewhere out there_

_And even though I know how very far apart we are_

_It helps to think we might be wishing_

_On the same bright star_

_And when the night wind starts to sing a lonesome lullaby_

_If helps to think we're sleeping_

_Underneath the same big sky_

_Somewhere out there_

_If love can see us through_

_Then we'll be together_

_Somewhere out there_

_Out where dreams come true_

_And even though I know how very far apart we are_

_It helps to think we might be wishing_

_On the same bright star_

_And when the night winds starts to sing a lonesome lullaby_

_It helps to think we're sleeping_

_Underneath the same big sky_

_Somewhere out there_

_If love can see us through (Can see us through)_

_Then we'll be together_

_Somewhere out there_

_Out where dreams come true_

-"Somewhere Out There" by James Horner, performed by James Ingram and Linda Ronstadt

Chapter 9: Where the Heart Lies

Folken lay sprawled across a dusty wooden table in his private quarters, his face pressed against ancient musty texts. He was having a rather amusing dream about a strange little girl with a noisy little dog and a rainbow. Suddenly, he was rudely awakened by a persistent poke in his shoulder.

"What is it now…?" he mumbled in annoyance.

"I beg pardon, Milord… But I brought you dinner. You've been at it since dawn. Don't you think that it's about time you gave yourself a rest?" Ari asked in concern, setting down a basket filled with some biscuits and fruit at his side.

"Umm…" he sighed, his head falling limp again as Ari rolled her eyes, sighing.

"Oh hail our Mighty Lord…" she muttered sarcastically as Folken began to snore and she crept from the room.

Several hours later, the king of Zaibach awoke with a start, a small bead of sweat coursing down his brow.

"It's that same dream… It's always that dream…" he whispered, lighting a candle so he could continue on with his translations. After a few minutes of struggling with the complex language of the ancient Atlanteans, he sighed, fumbling with the small glasses he had perched on his nose, shoving them in a drawer carelessly. He winced, hearing the breaking of glass, knowing that he might be making a visit to the optometrist in the medical wing again…

"Milord." Yuushi waltzed into the room without knocking, bowing briefly before walking over and removing several articles from Folken's basket, munching on them hungrily.

Folken gave him an indignant look, watching his dinner being devoured.

"What, pray tell, are you doing?"

"Sorry, Milord… The wife kicked me out. Apparently I forgot the radish anniversary or something. So, being the wretch that I am, I have been condemned to the lonely corridors until the dear lets me back in…" He looked away, a bit ashamed. "She has my dinner in there too… I was hoping that you wouldn't mind sharing one of your extra futons so I won't be forced to be smashed by the door when she comes out tomorrow morning and perhaps lets me in!"

Folken sighed reluctantly.

"Grab a spare sheet from the closet and leave me in peace…" he murmured, massaging his forehead with his hand that still held flesh.

"Right, Boss!" Yuushi grinned, grabbing some more of Folken's spare rations as he growled lightly in annoyance.

"Hmm…" Folken studied the text carefully. "_Traveling between worlds_…" He smirked slightly. He'd found what he had been looking for.

Van stood by his window in his castle home in Fanelia. He sighed softly as a warm breeze blew by, carrying the slightest hint of jasmine. It ruffled his jet-black hair as he continued to study the horizon with unwavering amber eyes.

Flashback

"_I'm sick of it! I'm sick of this whole world!" the girl shrieked angrily at them._

End of Flashback

He sighed again.

"When did everything start going wrong? It wasn't supposed to be like this…" He clenched his fists angrily. "Folken… is a traitor… I will not let him outsmart me again. He will die for his unforgivable transgressions…"

He desperately tried to block out the horrible images flashing through his mind. The bomb exploding while everyone was inside at the meeting, the mangled bodies dripping with blood, the lost limbs floating about in the sea…

Flashback

"_Lord Van…" He could hear Merle's desperate whimper, blood congealing in her throat. He had run over to her, cradling her limp body in his shaking arms. She turned her head to face him, smiling slightly, her bright blue eyes clouding over._

"_Oh, Lord Van… Please… Don't be mad…" she whispered before she took her last breath._

End of Flashback

"It is… my curse…" he murmured. He bad been forced to watch his best friends, some of the only people he had ever truly cared for, die before his very eyes. "It shouldn't be this way…"

Flashback

"_Lord Van… The curse of the Draconian blood is legendary… It is known that every being with the blood of the Atlanteans coursing through his veins is destined to meet a sticky end… But not before they bring death and misfortune to those around them… This is the burden that the last of your clan is cursed to bear…" a member of his council warned him coldly._

End of Flashback

"I don't know where it all began… Maybe on that day… The day that Hitomi left Gaea… The day that she left me…" Van whispered idly.

Flashback

"_Please, someone send me back to my world!" _

End of Flashback

_If only it were that easy…_ Van thought silently. _Hitomi…_

He wandered down the hallway until he reached the apartments Hitomi had lived in when she first came to Gaea. He was fascinated by the Discman she had forgotten in Asturia when she returned home. Strangely enough, it had somehow survived the destruction. He'd found it in the rubble with a few of Hitomi's other things and brought it back with him, intending to return it to her should they meet again. Fiddling with the golden ring on his finger, he accidentally caused it to slip off, rolling across the floor.

"Oh yeah. My luck is incomparable…" Van muttered in annoyance, getting down on his hands and knees to try to find it. It had been his father's wedding ring. It had been passed on to him after his father's death by Folken. Folken had not wanted to be reminded of his dearly departed father in such a manner. It was one of the few mementos he had left from when his parents were alive. He would hate to lose it. It rolled under the dresser and he cursed silently, getting down on his belly and sliding his head between the dresser legs.

"Hey… What's this doing down here…?" He pulled out a shiny round disc and stared at it perplexedly.

"Over…joyed…" He sounded out the title sloppily scrawled across the top. He picked up the Discman that he'd left on the dresser and popped the CD in, putting on the headphones.

_**Over time, I've been building my castle of love, oh yeah  
Just for two, though you never knew you were my reason  
I've gone much too far for you now to say  
That I've got to throw my castle away **_

Flashback

"_Allen… Help me…" Hitomi whispered as she fell into the blackness. She woke up startled, blushing madly._

"_Oh no… Did I fall asleep…?"_

"_It's alright. Sleep if you're tired." Van comforted her._

"_No. I'm okay." She got up._

"'_Allen, help me!'" she says. Still haven't given up on that guy?" Merle mocked her in amusement._

"_Oh no… Did I say something…?" Hitomi asked, her face the color of a boiled lobster._

"_You're so easygoing. We barely got out of their in one piece. Don't forget, you were almost sold off by that Meiden guy…"_

"_I know…" Hitomi murmured._

"_If Allen hadn't come we wouldn't have made it out…" Van commented._

_Merle shoved a stick with some bugs on it in her face._

"_Here." Hitomi looked sickened._

"_Eat this, although they're much better raw…"_

"_They're not so bad…" Van remarked optimistically._

"_These are good too!" Merle began eating some of Hitomi's snacks._

"_Hey, those are my snacks!" Hitomi protested._

_There's more…" Merle pulled some items out of Hitomi's bag._

"_Hey, my lipstick and my watch… When'd you swipe those?!" Merle pulled out Hitomi's pager and began to chew on it._

"_What about this?"_

"_That's my pager! You can't eat that!" Hitomi protested angrily. Hitomi desperately tried to get it away from her before Merle scampered up onto Escaflowne._

"_Get down here you cat burglar! Ya dumb cat!" Van seemed slightly amused by their quarreling._

_Van began to practice his swordsmanship in the darkness of the silent woods when Hitomi interrupted him._

"_Hey Van… Don't you think these two look alike?" Hitomi asked softly, holding up her pendant to Escaflowne's energist._

"_Tell me, where did you get that stone?"_

"_It's my good luck charm!" Hitomi beamed._

"_Good luck charm?"_

"_Yeah, it's from when I was little. Now it's more of a memento from my grandmother."_

"_So, do you have anyone else in your family?"_

"_Yeah… A father, a mother, and a little brother…"_

"_A father and a mother…" Van whispered._

"_Yeah, but my brother and I are always arguing. He's always mouthing off, but I'm the one who gets in trouble. 'Hitomi, you're older aren't you?' 'Hitomi, you're a girl!' 'Hitomi, you are in high school!' I hate it; it's not fair… Just because I'm the oldest… My dad just sits there and laughs… I wonder how they're doing now… My father and mother…" Tears slid down her cheeks._

"_My parents both died when I was little…" Van confessed painfully._

"_With Fanelia burned and Balgus dead, the only one I can really count on is her…" He gestured at the slumbering catgirl._

"_But that man… I thought you called him brother…" Hitomi remembered the incident on the Vione._

"_He's no brother of mine! Folken is a traitor!" Van shouted heatedly. "Ten years ago, he was sent to fight a dragon in the rite to become king… But he ran away… And my brother even tried to kill me!" He saw Hitomi's nervous expression and felt bad. "I'm sorry… I shouldn't carry on like that…"_

"_No, it's alright… So what are you going to do now…?"_

"_This has only taught me how much I need to grow… First, I'm going to train… And then, it all starts from here… What about you, Hitomi?"_

_Hitomi fell back in the grass._

"_What am I going to do…? I guess I can't go back to Allen's country."_

"_I know that Zaibach's looking for me, but do you want to come with us?" Van asked hesitantly._

"_Can I?" Hitomi asked happily._

"_Sure. I might need your help someday…" Van replied, flopping down into the moist grass._

"_There's one thing I know for sure…" he murmured, staring up at the mystic moon. "I'm going to help you get back there…" Hitomi turned, smiling at him as they lay beneath the starry sky._

_**Over dreams, I have picked out a perfect come true  
Though you never knew it was of you I've been dreaming  
The sandman has come from too far away  
For you to say come back some other day **_

"_Don't cry, Mother. I'll grow up to take my brother's place. I'll be a strong king just like my father. Mother… It'll be okay, I promise… Please, Mother?" Van's young face at the age of five was filled with sorrow at his mother's listless expression._

"_Soon later, Mother went into the forest, to look for my brother. For Folken. Balgus went to look for her, but couldn't find her. Mother never returned to the castle…" Van murmured as they rode the dragon Escaflowne, Merle sleeping peacefully as they soared over the countryside._

"_Thank you for telling me, Van… And about your wings…" Van looked up at her, dreading her comment._

"_Don't worry, Van… I think they're beautiful…" A slight twinge of blush stained her cheeks and he smiled in relief._

"_You and Merle are probably the only ones who would say that…"_

"_So you're putting me and her on the same level? Very funny!"_

_**And though you don't believe that they do  
They do come true  
For did my dreams  
Come true when I looked at you  
And maybe too, if you would believe  
You too might be  
Overjoyed, over loved, over me **_

_Hitomi was running through the foggy landscape before she came upon a procession of the dead. _

"_VAN! WHERE ARE YOU?!"_

_They were marching tragically. She spotted him._

"_VAN! VAN, WAIT!" She ran up to him, trying to place a hand on him only to watch it go through. "VAN!"_

"_Her pulse! It stopped!" Millerna exclaimed in the real world._

_Hitomi awoke to find herself in an unfamiliar landscape, reminding her somewhat of ancient Greece or Rome. People with wings were flying above her and all that she could do was stare._

"_What is this place?" She stood on a cliff. Then she spotted a lone tree in the distance. Van was sitting beneath it, hugging his knees into his chest, horror in his eyes. She ran up to him, kneeling down to speak with the young king of Fanelia._

"_Let's go home, Van. Everyone's waiting…" Van said nothing, eyes still wide, shaking slightly._

"_Van…?" Hitomi fell as the ground shook, buildings collapsed as fire spread, burning the winged people._

"_What the…?" The ground collapsed beneath them and she held onto Van for dear life._

"_VAN! SNAP OUT OF IT, VAN!"_

"_Three minutes have passed…" Allen murmured gravely outside Hitomi's nightmare world._

"_We've got to save Hitomi!" Millerna insisted._

"_NO!" Merle cried desperately. She jumped on top of Escaflowne._

"_HEY, YOU STUPID GIRL! DON'T GIVE UP!" _

"_YOU HAVE TO BRING LORD VAN BACK! HEY, ARE YOU LISTENING?!" She slapped Hitomi angrily._

"_LORD VAN!"_

"_Merle…?" Hitomi murmured, hearing the catgirl's distant voice._

"_SAVE LORD VAN!" The cry echoed._

_The cliff collapsed as Van and Hitomi were surrounded by a pillar of light. They started plummeting towards the lava beneath them._

"_FLY VAN, FLY!" Hitomi shrieked, knowing that if he didn't, then they'd die. Suddenly, Van's wings spread and they flew away from the fire and burning tree._

_Hitomi slipped off of the Escaflowne and the energist returned to its bright pink shade. The cockpit opened and Van stumbled out._

"_He's alive!"_

"_Lord Van…" _

_Hitomi clutched her face in pain as Merle noted what she'd done. She looked away._

"_Merle…" Hitomi realized what the catgirl had done. She leaped up, happily hugging her. "THANK YOU!"_

_**Over hearts, I have painfully turned every stone, yes I have  
Just to find, I had found what I've searched to discover  
I've come much too far for me now to find  
The love that I've sought can never be mine **_

"_I can't believe what a jerk I am!" Hitomi criticized herself angrily. "I was so relieved about Millerna's marriage… But then I said 'Don't give up!' Then, to top it all off, I ran away…"_

_Van approached her._

"_Hey. What's wrong?" he asked in concern, seeing her disturbed state._

"_Van?" Hitomi looked up in surprise._

_They sat in a windmill in Asturia._

"_You make yourself sick…?" Van asked in confusion._

"_I'm such a jerk… I play nice, but I'm always getting into everyone's business… I'm such an idiot…" Van threw a fruit up to her and she looks at it in confusion as Van smiled at her. He showed her how to break off the top and stick a straw in it. She took a sip._

"_Uh! It's sour! What is this?"_

"_They're called Piscuss. Do you feel any better now?"_

"_Ew…"_

_A few minutes later Van began to clean Escaflowne's sword._

"_If you go around with that nervous look on your face, something bad's going to happen to you… It's not like you to be depressed, now is it?"_

'_He… He's trying to make me feel better…' Hitomi realized in astonishment._

"_Hitomi… I'd like you to stay with me… Stay with me from now on, that is…" Hitomi dropped the fruit in shock._

"_But Van… What do you mean…?" Van stood up, turned away from her._

"_I want you to stay with me… I want you, Hitomi!" He whipped around as she stared at him with the same expression of shock, her cheeks red._

"_I want… I want your power! Let's go defeat Zaibach together! But to do it, I'm going to need your power! The power of Atlantis! With it, who knows if Escaflowne could do even more incredible things! Please, Hitomi, I need your help…" He looked up in confusion at her furious expression. She stood up, slapping him and leaving._

_A few minutes later she found herself at the bridge. She threw a stone in the water, eyeing her wavering reflection._

"_What a jerk…" Van's cheek throbbed a pulsing red._   
_  
__**And though you don't believe that they do  
They do come true  
For did my dreams  
Come true when I looked at you  
And maybe too, if you would believe  
You too might be  
Overjoyed, over loved, over me**_

"_What good will it do if you come with me…?" Van asked Hitomi. She held onto him tightly as they headed towards Fanelia._

"_It'll be okay. It's not a trap."_

"_How do you know?"_

"_Folken's your brother, right? Do you think your own brother would lie to you? You'll understand when you see him, right?"_

"_Stop yelling in my ear!" Van protested in annoyance. "It hurts…"_

"_Sorry…"_

"_I'll keep my promise… Whether it's to Allen or the Mystic Moon, I'll bring you back… I'm not going to let you down…"_

End of Flashback

_**And though the odds say improbable  
What do they know  
For in romance  
All true love needs is a chance  
And maybe with a chance you will find   
You too like I  
Overjoyed, over loved, over you, over you…**_

The CD ended. He stood there for a moment, lost in thought. Why did she haunt him so? He removed the headphones, sighing softly.

"Lord Van…?" A small boy ran into the room, looking around anxiously, feeling like he was really interrupting something.

"Hm…?" Van replied in disinterest, not even bothering to turn around.

"Milord, it's a message from Emperor Folken…" the boy piped up urgently.

"What is it then?" Van asked impatiently.

"Sorry, Lord, I'm getting to it!" He pulled out a crumpled slip of paper, squinting before reading it aloud.

"VAN- COME TO ZAIBACH. I CAN BRING BACK HITOMI."

"What…?" Van whispered in confusion. The boy trembled a bit, noting the expression of anger and disbelief on the young king's visage. He quickly scurried away, leaving Van to his thoughts.

"Hitomi… can be returned?" he asked the silence, although he expected no reply.

"What did you want to see me about, Folken?" Van spat in disgust as he found his brother in the guymelef hangar.

"Something I thought that you'd find interesting. I know how anxious you were to see me again, Van…" Folken responded coolly, turning and heading out into the corridor.

"Hey, come back here!" Van demanded, chasing after him. He followed his brother through the twisted hall of the Vione until they arrived in his chambers. The older boy silently walked over to a table where various open books lay strewn about with dog-eared pages. A scullery maid was busy tending the fire on the opposite side of the room. Catching sight of the two men, her face flushed and she promptly scurried out of the room, leaving a trail of coal dust in her wake.

"Here…" Folken murmured, flipping through a leather-bound text.

Van skeptically glanced at the open page. There was an illustration of a Draconian and the pendant. Van gulped. It resembled Hitomi's pendant.

"What does it say…?" Van asked, attempting to feign disinterest.

"You never studied the ancient texts, did you brother? I knew that you were skipping out on your lessons…" Folken muttered accusingly as Van's face turned red.

"I… I had important business to attend to!" He defended himself hurriedly.

"And what was that? Pulling Merle's tail?" Folken asked sardonically, turning to the book in front of him as Van muttered obscenities beneath his breath. "Do you recognize her?"

"Recognize who?" Van grunted impatiently.

"The woman, in the drawing…" Folken muttered in a cryptic tone.

"Should I?" Van was getting fed up with his brother's little mind games.

"I'd expect you to. Mother would have cried if she knew that her own son didn't know her face…" Folken muttered desolately.

"Mother…?" Van whispered in bewilderment. He lifted up the book, staring at the woman in the picture. It **was** her. He ran a gloved hand down her pale, flawless cheek, wishing that she were real. He sighed softly. He had cast an unlucky lot in the game of life. His family had faired no better. "Folken…?"

"What?" Folken replied apathetically.

"What… What was she like? Mother, I mean… I was only five when she left… Even younger than that when Father passed away… I never really knew either of them… I was too young at the time to value our time together before Father's illness…" Van murmured, regret dripping from his tone.

"You didn't, did you?" Folken asked rhetorically. "You could not understand the grief Mother went through when Father succumbed to sickness… You were so young…" Folken muttered. "You, of course, felt devotion towards Father, as is natural between any father and son… But it cannot be helped I supposed… When Father died, I remember Mother… she wouldn't leave her room for half a week. I flew up to their balcony to see if she was alright. She was hugging Father's old tattered robe. She wanted to die…" Folken murmured. Van looked at him intently, never knowing the depth of his mother's sadness after their father's departure. "But then… she looked up at the portrait… The one we had made after Father came back from the trade dispute with Schezario. She stared at your face and touched it, breaking down and crying. She loved you very much…" Folken muttered, a hint of bitterness in his voice. "It was your face that kept her living for a bit longer… However…" He held out his arm, his eyes penetrating it. He was obviously disgusted by it as it was evident in his expression. "When I went to slay the dragon, I lost my humanity… I became half-man, half-machine… I felt empty… But I could still hear Mother crying… That was the only stability left in my life. She cried in pain when you were born, in sadness when our sister was born prematurely and died, in loneliness when Father went off to fight, and in happiness when he returned home safely. I think that if I had forgotten her, I would have lost all traces of my sanity. I later inquired about her by sending spies to Fanelia. They reported her dead. I still think sometimes that she's alive out there… That she has lost or forgotten her kingdom… I'll only believe it when I see the corpse…"

"Folken… If she was alive, I know that she would have returned home… Balgus never found her… She's gone, Folken…" Van muttered bitterly. "You don't think she cared for you, do you…?" Van realized, his eyes narrowing at his brother's thick-headedness. Folken was silent. "If Mother didn't love you, then **why** did she leave the castle to find you? Why did she go through with it if she might merely find your mangled body? Do you think it was so she could snub you? She went to find you, whether it meant to bring you home or to cry over your broken body… It was me that she was oblivious to…" Van clenched his fist. "I was forced to watch her stare out her window into the forest for almost half a year. She never spoke to me. It was as if I wasn't there. I felt invisible. I was just a child, clamoring for my mother's attention. But she was in her own world… A world where you and Father were still alive and she wasn't stuck with her youngest son in a castle full of people terrified of her… She never loved me, Folken, she tolerated me… If she had cared for me at all she would have never left me…" Van murmured. He felt a sharp sting in his right cheek. Folken had slapped him with his metal hand. Blood was coursing down Van's cheek.

"Perhaps now you know the pain Mother felt…" Folken whispered icily. He turned back to the book, putting aside their "discussion." He flipped through the pages again and Van noted a picture of the mystic moon. "During the white moon, a channel is opened between our world and Hitomi's. There's a way to call people from the mystic moon forth to our own world at this time, using the pendant." Folken explained calmly.

"Then why haven't you brought her back yet, damn it!" Van shouted angrily, pounding his fist on the table. Folken eyed him coldly.

"Haven't you learned anything, Van? If you love something, set it free. If it comes back to you, it's yours. If it doesn't, it was never meant to be…" He gazed into the crackling flames of the fire, blazing red and orange. "I guess I'm growing soft…" he admitted reluctantly. "But I want her to be happy…"

Hitomi was tearing off down the sidewalk. She couldn't take it anymore. She didn't belong here on Earth; she didn't belong on Gaea. Perhaps Yukari had had the right idea to end it all. What was the point? Running was escaping. Escaping from this façade of life. She watched the scenery whip by her on the cool April evening. Parks she'd played at as a child, schools she'd attended, houses she'd slept over at.

"It was when I first went to Gaea that I became different… I can never belong here again. Lives here are so simple… Not like the ones in Van's world." She ran past her best friend's old house. "Yukari…" she whimpered, remembering the girl's horrible demise. "It's all my fault…" she muttered, rocking back and fourth and shaking. "All mine…" She sat on the cool cement steps leading up to the door and brought her face to her knees, crying softly. "I should have never come back… I hurt the people that I care about most…" Her chest racked with sobs. She felt a cold hand on her shoulder and turned her head slightly. Her eyes widened and her mouth hung agape.

"It can't be…" she whispered, staring at the person before her in shock. "You're dead… Aren't you Yukari…?"

A/N: Cliff hanger! Sorry about that! Well, I'm off to CO for a couple of weeks to bond with nature and uh… stuff… Yeah, anyway, I will work on the fic if I have time. It's funny. I was working on this fic when I went there **last** year… Anyway, I hope to see a lot of beautiful, shiny reviews when I get back! Don't let me down! Thank you so much for all of your support!

Next Time on "Tears of the Heart":

"_Hitomi… You've finally come home!" Tears sprang to Yukari's eyes as she threw her arms around her best friend. "I never thought that I'd see you again! Oh, Hitomi…!" She sobbed softly, not noticing Hitomi's vacant expression as she stiffly accepted the crushing embrace._

"_Yukari…?" she muttered in confusion, staring over Yukari's shoulder in a sort of trance._


	10. Simple Truths

Disclaimer: I don't own Escaflowne, flashbacks from the series, or the Escaflowne's characters that I'm manipulating for my own twisted pleasure… I also don't own the song "Unpredictable" by BBMak. (Whatever happened to those guys? I used to really like them.) All original characters, however, are mine.

A/N: Hey! Since I've been mean to you and made you wait so long for past chapters, I jotted this chapter down while on vacation with my grandparents in July. (Imagine an incoming freshman with a grandpa who kept muttering, "Turn blue!" and a grandma who must have the world record for most pillows in the truck cab… It was "interesting", as always…) All joking aside, I love those oddballs and their eccentric ways. There's always something write home about… **Review when you're done!** **Thanks!**

**Tears of the Heart **

_How can I convince you that you're really not alone  
And I know exactly what you're going through  
Nothing is for certain, but there's one thing that I know  
Never underestimate what love can do_

I want to show you  
Even though there are no guarantees  
Just let me hold you  
Love can do most anything  
If you just believe

It can take you to the highest high  
Make you sacrifice it all  
Love is unpredictable  
It can change your life forever  
Or it may never hear your call  
Love is unpredictable  
Na na na na na   
Love is unpredictable

We don't need to justify, we don't need to wait  
All will be revealed to us in time  
And if you intellectualize the meaning of this fate  
You may never know what we could find

Don't keep me waiting  
Don't you keep me hanging on the line  
I'm only saying  
You won't know what love can do, if you never try

It can take you to the highest high   
Make you sacrifice it all  
Love is unpredictable  
It can change your life forever  
Or it may never hear your call  
Love is unpredictable  
Na na na na na  
Love is unpredictable  
Na na na na na  
Love is unpredictable

Don't you wanna see which way this love will go  
It can take you to the highest high   
Love is unpredictable  
It can change your life forever  
Love is unpredictable

It can take you to the highest high  
Make you sacrifice it all  
Love is unpredictable  
It can change your life forever  
Or it may never hear your call  
Love is unpredictable  
Na na na na na  
Love is unpredictable  
Na na na na na  
Love is unpredictable

-"Unpredictable" By BBMak

Chapter 10: Simple Truths

"Hitomi… You've finally come home!" Tears sprang to Yukari's eyes as she threw her arms around her best friend.

"I never thought that I'd see you again! Oh, Hitomi…!" She sobbed softly, not noticing Hitomi's vacant expression as she stiffly accepted the crushing embrace.

"Yukari…?" she muttered in confusion, staring over Yukari's shoulder in a sort of trance. Quickly, Yukari released her, turning around.

"Amano!" she called into her house, waving her hand enthusiastically behind her, clearly displaying what Hitomi noticed as a diamond wedding ring on her finger.

Amano stumbled out, a backpack slung over his shoulder and a bag overflowing with snacks and pull-ups in his hand. The contents spilled all over the porch as he muttered curses, scrambling to pick up the bag's scattered contents.

"Tsk. Tsk. How clumsy…" Yukari chided, grinning in amusement as her husband glared in annoyance, squirting her with a juice box. Yukari shrieked in surprise.

"You did **not** just do that!"

This began a massive battle. Hitomi, still in shock, watching the couple shower each other with the contents of the bag. At the battle's conclusion, Yukari was pulling Cheerios out of her hair and Amano wore a pull-up as a sort of bonnet. Blushing furiously, he whipped off his new hat, shoving it in his back pocket.

"So, Hitomi… I see that you've returned from your studies abroad…" Amano greeted her.

"Huh?" Hitomi sweatdropped as Amano looked puzzled and Yukari chose to block him from view, pushing Hitomi out of hearing distance.

"Remember!" Yukari's face was pinched as she muttered urgently.

"Hey, what's the secret?" Amano came up behind them. "It must have been lonely for you, Hitomi…" He turned to face her.

"Um, yeah… The United States is so far away!" Hitomi piped up, sweatdropping.

"But I thought Yukari said that you were studying abroad in Australia…?" Amano looked more confused than ever.

"Uh… I mean… The United States of Australia!" Hitomi excused herself lamely.

"Yeah! That's right!" Yukari elbowed Hitomi hard in the ribs. "You caught us visiting my mom. We have our own apartment across town. We were just headed to the movies."

"MOMMY!" A little blur burst from the house, attaching itself to Yukari's leg in a tight hug.

"Uh…?" She looked down, blinked, and then turned to fix an angrily-twitching eye at her husband, who was sweating profusely and tugging at his collar.

"You FORGOT our SON?!" she shrieked loud enough that the entire neighborhood could have heard her.

"Yukari…! I had to grab a granola bar and carry this other junk!"

"A GRANOLA BAR is more IMPORTANT to you than the WELL-BEING of your ONLY child?!" she shrieked as the boy blinked at the two of them.

"Poor Baby… Daddy abandoned you…" Yukari hugged the small child who nodded in agreement, eager for attention.

"Yes, Mommy!" the little boy chirped as Amano groaned, knowing that his fate had been sealed.

Hitomi stared in disbelief at the small child. If she didn't know any better she'd say that Dilandau had been revived and turned into a toddler. The little boy, clad in Gap Kids attire, was a very handsome tot. Then again, Dilandau had been good-looking as well, even if he had put the "b" in bastard. The young boy's short silver locks curled about his ears, ruby-red eyes gleaming happily as his lips curled into a beaming smile. That was different. Dilandau didn't smile. It looked weird on his son…

_Oh my god… _ Hitomi clapped her hands over her mouth, hoping to contain her stomach's contents. Her eyes widened… That little boy! He was Yukari and **Dilandau's** son…

_I think I'm gonna be sick…_

Yukari noticed her friend's ill-expression and quickly forgot her fury at her neglectful spouse.

"Uh, Sweetie… I need to talk to Auntie Hitomi. Why don't you and Daddy go ahead to the movie…?"

"But Mommy!" the child whined.

"Be good!" Yukari reminded him, lifting his chin up with hand and kissing him on the forehead.

"Alright! Daddy! Daddy!" the child chanted, skipping ahead as Amano desperately chased after him, leaving behind a trail of granola bars and toddler products.

"Whew! He's a full-time job!" Yukari wiped sweat from her brow.

"Yukari… Who is that boy? How are you alive? What the heck is Amano talking about? Just how long have I been on Gaea?!"

"Hold it! One question at a time!" Yukari yelled, clapping her hands over her ears.

"Let's go get some ice cream, okay?" They walked over to the park. In the center of the park stood a large fountain and a little ice cream stand set up beside it.

"Alright! It's open!" Yukari grinned, running over and buying two double-scoop cones of Caramel Crunch.

"Thought that I'd forget your favorite, huh?" Yukari smirked knowingly, handing her a cone as they sat down on a park bench. The only sound being them devouring the savory treats. After they had finished, there was an awkward silence.

"Yukari…" Hitomi whispered softly, turning to face her. "What happened…?"

Yukari tried to keep it together, but to no avail. Crystalline tears trailed down her cheeks as her mascara ran and she brought her face into her hands.

"Yukari…" Hitomi hadn't wanted to upset her, but she deserved to know the truth.

"My whole life is a lie…" Yukari choked, resting her forehead on her knees exposed by her short skirt.

"Hitomi… When I leapt off the Vione I was ready to die… I **wanted** to die… It was too painful there… And I'm sorry that I tried to leave you and I'm… I'm sorry that I didn't try to work things out, but I just couldn't! It was too hard for me! I'm not brave, like you! I'm a coward! A god-damned coward afraid of her own shadow. I've always tried to be like you, Hitomi, but I just can't… I'm different… and I…" She brushed a tendril of hair behind her ear. "I wanted to be me… and I knew that I couldn't be anymore… I was becoming this horrible person. So I jumped, but things didn't work out the way I'd planned… I closed my eyes, hoping that I'd die instantly upon impact. I kept expecting to hit the ground… but I never did. I opened my eyes and I was in my room, in my house… I was lying on my bed and my mother came in and told me that Amano had called…"

"Huh?" Hitomi asked in confusion.

"I don't really know, Hitomi… You've always said that the correlation between our world and Gaea is well, different… I don't know… She acted like I hadn't been gone for six months. But the thing is, I know that that's not true. I was with you… and I just don't really understand it… But it seems like Gaea's filled with magic… That must have had something to do with it, I guess. So here I am, 3 years later…"

"THREE YEARS?!" Hitomi shrieked in disbelief.

"Well yeah, Hitomi… It has been three years. Don't you have calendars on that planet of yours…?"

"That can't be right… On Gaea it has only been a couple of months…" she whispered, eyes widening.

"What? But that doesn't make any sense at all…" Yukari whispered, staring at Hitomi in confusion.

"But I guess nothing does anymore, right? Sometimes, I wish we were little kids again, and our biggest problems were figuring out whether Amano liked us or not and if our hair was worthy of school pictures… Silly teenage things…" She chuckled, shaking her head. Then suddenly she whispered, "I miss them."

_Jeez, I'm still a teenager… Speak for yourself, Yukari._

"I do too." Hitomi agreed softly in an awkward tone.

"Why'd they have to go away?"

"Sometimes I really don't know."

"You know that that little boy's my son, right?" Yukari asked hesitantly.

"Yukari, I'm not an idiot…" Hitomi fumed slightly.

"Jeez… Don't take it the wrong way; you're just not always the observant type…" Yukari backed off a bit. "But seriously, everyone thought that you'd run away from home to smoke pot and lead a life of sin, so your mother told everyone that you'd been accepted to some liberal arts school in Australia and your admission letter had come late so you'd had to leave right away and couldn't even say goodbye."

"What was her excuse for me not trying to contact anyone for 3 years?" Hitomi raised an eyebrow skeptically.

"It was really lame… She said that you'd been so devoted to 'your studies' that you hadn't spent a moment away from the library…" She rolled her eyes in annoyance.

"Wow… That's quite a corny and unbelievable story…" Hitomi commented, folding her legs pretzel-style.

"Well yes, you know if your mother wrote screenplays, the soaps' people would be out of business…"

"You know it…" Hitomi grinned.

"So, you know, since I hadn't really been 'showing' any signs of my pregnancy yet, **despite **what Dilandau said…" She growled his name angrily. "Amano and I arranged a quick marriage in a few weeks. Then we well… um… 'did it…'" Her face reddened visibly. "And I told him that I was pregnant and he was overjoyed."

"Not the brightest light bulb in the box…" Hitomi commented, rolling her eyes.

"No, not always." Yukari agreed quietly.

"So the child's obviously Dilandau's…" Hitomi stated the facts.

"Yeah, he's that bastard's alright… As much as I'd like to deny it…" she hissed. "But you can't tell Amano, Hitomi! You can't!" She clutched at her friend desperately. "That little boy is my husband's pride and joy. If he found out that he wasn't his… it would kill him…"

"I won't tell him, Yukari… I thought that you knew me better than that…" Hitomi said softly, her voice taking on a melancholy tone. "So what's his name?"

"Dilandau."

"I didn't ask who his father was, Yukari… I asked his **name**…"

"DILANDAU!" Yukari insisted impatiently.

"You named your son after **him**?" Hitomi asked in incredulity.

"I promised him that I would, Kagome… And I never break my promises… It doesn't matter that I thought that our son would never be born. I'd already named him when I, well you know…" Yukari replied curtly.

"Seriously, Yukari, I doubt it was just that… Even **you** don't care about keeping your word that much!" Hitomi drilled on restlessly.

"Well, it's the only thing that I'll ever do for that bastard… How is that asshole, anyway? Has he found a new whore yet?" Yukari asked coldly.

"Yukari…" Hitomi didn't know how to say this. It was hard. "Yukari… Dilandau is dead…"

"W-w-what?" Yukari stuttered in disbelief, her eyes the size of dinner plates. "H-h-he died?!"

"Yes. He was killed in battle… He… he wanted me to tell you that he was sorry… Sorry for all the terrible things that he did to you… And I think that he meant it, Yukari…"

"No… You're lying! You're lying! It's not true!" Yukari whispered, leaping up from her seat.

"Yukari, calm down. It happened just before I left. I was with him. He didn't die alone…" Hitomi tried to find vague ways to comfort her distraught companion. Her friend looked like she'd just been shot in the face.

"Oh, Yukari…" Hitomi embraced her friend in the middle of the park, trying to console her to no avail. "Oh Yukari… You cared about him, too, didn't you?" she whispered, patting her friend on the back as she stared into space. Human emotions never really made sense.

Van headed into the woods. In the woods lay several graves. They rose stoically from clumps of sighing grass. A stone for every man, woman, and child who had mattered to him in his lifetime. Their graves protected in this isolated location. The ruins of the Fanelian castle loomed hauntingly in the distance. The sight before him would unnerve most people. But Van Fanel wasn't most people. It was like taking a drive out to the country to visit the family on holiday. He had grown up with death, watching it constantly show its face throughout his bitter lifetime. He lived in death.

He made his way down the path, sword smacking against his side, his leather boots leaving soft imprints in the moist soil. Here lay the graves of Sir Allen, Commander Gaddes, Merle, Lord Dryden, Princess Millerna, Prince Chid, Balgus, and his parents.

He shook his head. What was the point? Folken had betrayed their trust. Betrayed Asturia. Betrayed his mother. Betrayed his kingdom. Only his father's death could not be blamed on his brother. And what was the point of their various titles? Weren't the lot of them equal in death? They'd all died. They'd all left him here to rot. End of story. But he wished that he could write their stories on their tombs. With his hand, in his own blood. After he was dead, no one would know that Millerna was a dedicated scholar and that Allen had been in love with Hitomi. That Gaddes had a secret ambition to someday become a Knight Caeli. No one would ever know. Their hopes, thoughts, and dreams had all gone with them to the crypt. Which made their deaths all the more tragic.

He stopped at the last grave in the row. He knelt down, placing a gloved hand on its rough surface and closing his eyes, before opening them slowly. He remembered cradling Merle's broken body on that hellish day.

Flashback

"_You love Hitomi, right?" she had whispered. "Please don't be mad, Lord Van…" He had choked as she closed her eyes._

End of Flashback

No one should have to bury their best friend. As no mother should have to give up the hope of her son returning home. But he had buried Merle, next to his parents' graves. And Mother had never brought Folken home.

Resolutely, he pulled his sword from his scabbard. He quietly eyed the Fanelian emblem above the handle, outlining it with a gloved finger. He knelt down, placing it on that final grave. He then stood up, staring at his royal sword, gleaming in the white hot sun.

"I don't need it anymore…" he whispered softly. Then, he turned away, refusing to look back. It was all in the past. Nothing could be done now for any of them. Death was a permanent state of being.

"Hitomi, Dear… You've lost some weight this last week… Are you sure that you're feeling alright?" Her mother walked up and felt her forehead with her palm. She'd asked no questions when her daughter had reappeared after a three year absence. She was just thankful for her daughter's safe return. She was no dummy. She knew where Hitomi had been. "You don't feel feverish. What's wrong, Hitomi?" she asked in concern.

"Nothing, Mom. I'm fine. Don't worry about me." Hitomi sighed, hoping her mother would let her go without further interrogation.

"No, you're not fine. Something's wrong… I just wish that you would tell me…"

"But Mom, you're totally overreacting! Nothing's wrong at all! Everything's great! Peachy! It couldn't be better…" Hitomi began to back towards the door to her room.

"You know, you can go if you want to…" her mother whispered, bangs falling over her eyes.

"Huh?" Hitomi's eyes widened in confusion.

"To Gaea. I know that you're anxious to get away from here… Someone special waiting for you there, isn't there?" she asked softly. Hitomi's cheeks flushed.

"I know how you feel. I was a teenager once too, you know…" she chuckled softly. "I know that I'll miss you, but that doesn't really matter. Mothers must always put their children first. And that's why I'm putting you first, Hitomi. I want you to be happy… Please, go back, Hitomi… If you're happy, then I'm happy for you…"

"No, Mom… I won't… I…" She hugged her mother tightly, clenching her eyes shut. "Families should stick together…"

"That's why I want you to back to Gaea, Hitomi… Where your true family lies… All I want is to know that you're alive and happy, Hitomi. That's all I've ever wanted." Her mother smiled, holding her daughter close, both wishing that they knew what the future held. In silent agreement, Hitomi nodded.

"If I'm supposed to return to Gaea, then pendant or not, I should be able to get back there using my will…" She closed her eyes, concentrating. A bead of sweat dripped down her brow.

_Please, God… Please… Just let me see them… One more time… Please…_

The pillar of light descended, engulfing her as she grinned.

"YES!" she cheered, whooping loudly as she quickly was carried upward through the ceiling and through the roof and through the sky.

"I knew it all along…" Her mother smiled slightly, staring upward, as though hoping the walls would open and allow her to see her daughter just once more.

"Ugh! Nothing is going right today!" Folken muttered, knocking a goblet of wine on the ground and laying his head down on his desk. "Why me?"

"Why not?" Oban appeared simultaneously.

"Don't you ever sleep?" he asked in a muffled tone, glancing at the hour glass which told him that it was well past three in the morning at this point.

"Not when I have to keep your sorry ass in line!" she grumbled.

"I can keep it in line myself…"

"Like hell, you can!" she retorted in annoyance.

"You can't even keep your damn wife in your own floating palace for more than a year! How the hell can they call this a fortress when some stupid teenage girl can just walk out whenever she wants to?" she cursed in annoyance.

"It's meant to keep people **out**, not keep them **in**…" Folken corrected her.

"Well, it **sure **proved its worth when your brother just waltzed right in here! I knew that he wasn't going to ask for a charming anecdote and some spirits either. When I was running this place, there was discipline, honor, loyalty…"

"And we'd just found out that the planet rotated around the sun…" Folken finished sarcastically.

"I can still beat your hide, Boy, and don't you forget it!" She jabbed a pudgy finger in his face.

"Don't I know it…" he replied tiredly.

"Honestly, Folken… Why don't you just bring the girl back? It would ease a lot of the tension around here…" she suggested.

"Because I'm a man of my word… I won't bring her back against her will…"

"That's how you got her here in the first place!" She exclaimed, practically pulling out her own hair.

"Well, it wasn't my idea… Go talk to those damn sorcerers of mine…" She gave him a dark look.

"Not **you**, of course…" He sweated slightly.

"You're such an idiot sometimes. You don't even understand your own emotions. It's sad really… It's obvious to everyone **except** you… Why's a bonehead like you our king? I ponder that a lot these days…" she rambled on as his eyebrow twitched slightly in irritation.

"Are you done yet?"

"Just about… Respect your elders, Boy…"

"Elder? You're old enough to be my ancestor…" he muttered.

"Well, if you can take a minute from insulting me, I'll see myself out… But if I do say so myself, Folken, I wonder if you've **really **thought about why you haven't brought her back. It's not for your own selfish reasons for once… Think about it…" She left less dramatically then usual, simply walking out the door and letting it creak behind her.

"Oh God, no…" he whispered, realization dawning. She apparently had gotten her intended message through. The candle on his table flickered before snuffing out in the cold night air. "I'm in love with her…" And all that was left was darkness.

A/N: Thanks for the nice reviews, and even the not-so-nice ones (there weren't many.) I'm sorry that it's taken so long for this update… It's just been one thing after the other. But now marching band season is over (don't laugh, I need Band credits!) and now that I don't have to parade around in an ugly hat and a suit that makes me look like a green bean, I have a little more free time… Please review when you're done reading. I'm hoping to have 200 reviews before the end. There are still five chapters left, so I'm not worried yet… Anyway, I wouldn't be on this late, but class starts late tomorrow and I slept all afternoon… And I felt guilty, so although I'll be sleep-deprived, at least I've somewhat appeased my readers! Please review!

Next Time on "Tears of the Heart":

"_I'm sorry." Hitomi stared at her hands in her lap as Folken arched his eyebrows._

"_What could you possibly have to apologize about, Hitomi?" he asked in his usual monotonous voice._

"_For everything. I… I need to talk to you… about something… About Van…"_


	11. Torn Inside

Disclaimer: I don't own Escaflowne, any flashbacks from Escaflowne, or any characters from Escaflowne. However, I do own all original characters… Even Yuushi… (Sorry fangirls!) Oh yes, and I do not own "Bitch" by Meredith Brooks.

A/N: There is no time to babble here; on with the story!

**Tears of the Heart**

_I hate the world today  
You're so good to me  
I know but I can't change  
Tried to tell you  
But you look at me like maybe  
I'm an angel underneath  
Innocent and sweet  
Yesterday I cried  
Must have been relieved to see  
The softer side  
I can understand how you'd be so confused  
I don't envy you  
I'm a little bit of everything  
All rolled into one _

_  
I'm a bitch, I'm a lover  
I'm a child, I'm a mother  
I'm a sinner, I'm a saint  
I do not feel ashamed  
I'm your hell, I'm your dream  
I'm nothing in between  
You know you wouldn't want it any other way _

_So take me as I am  
This may mean  
You'll have to be a stronger man  
Rest assured that  
When I start to make you nervous  
And I'm going to extremes  
Tomorrow I will change  
And today won't mean a thing _

_I'm a bitch, I'm a lover  
I'm a child, I'm a mother  
I'm a sinner, I'm a saint  
I do not feel ashamed  
I'm your hell, I'm your dream  
I'm nothing in between  
You know you wouldn't want it any other way _

_Just when you think, you got me figured out  
The season's already changing  
I think it's cool, you do what you do  
And don't try to save me _

_I'm a bitch, I'm a lover  
I'm a child, I'm a mother  
I'm a sinner, I'm a saint  
I do not feel ashamed  
I'm your hell, I'm your dream  
I'm nothing in between  
You know you wouldn't want it any other way _

_I'm a bitch, I'm a tease  
I'm a goddess on my knees  
When you hurt, when you suffer  
I'm your angel undercover  
I've been numb, I'm revived  
Can't say I'm not alive  
You know I wouldn't want it any other way_

-"Bitch" by Meredith Brooks

Chapter 11: Torn Inside 

"Tell me, Lord Van, why you have chosen to come back to our fortress…?" Oban inquired as she read the ingredients for a potion.

"What other choice do I have?" he replied in boredom, staring off into space.

"Well sorry for asking. I just thought that you and that stupid brother of yours were at odds and wondered why you chose to remain in his company."

"Folken and I have not finished our battle. This time, only one of us will live."

"And I suppose that it's going to be you, isn't it?" she shot back sarcastically. "Don't underestimate your brother, Boy. He may be kind and gentle-hearted by nature, but when backed into a corner, he's as fierce as a lion. Don't you think for a second that he's not!" She began to add random ingredients together, watching her pot begin to overflow. She hurriedly fanned it, growling in annoyance. "Lord Van, your temper is like this brew, constantly boiling over! It makes you look like a fool!" She sighed, shaking her head.

"Say that again, Old hag!" Van shot back, eyes twitching in annoyance.

"Okay. You look like a fool." she repeated casually, going back to her potion. "You see, love is a very complicated matter… One wrong ingredient and…" She added a purple goo to the green concoction and a minor explosion occurred, sending up waves of black smoke. "Love is patient and precise, Lord Van. Surely even **you** know that by now…" He gave her an annoyed glance.

"What do you know?" he retorted angrily.

"I know that you have feelings for Lady Hitomi. I also know that she shares your feelings; however, you are not alone in the quest for her heart. And Lady Hitomi has grown quite attached to Lord Folken as of late… Not to mention, he's her husband…" she added devilishly.

"Take that back!" he yelled, grabbing her by the pudgy wrist.

"DON'T ACT OF ME SO LIGHTLY!" She reversed into her younger form, eyes flashing, blonde hair streaming down her back in waves. She changed back and touched her forehead, obviously a headache coming on. "I merely speak the truth, Boy… You need to act on your emotions! Do something about it, you idiot!"

"What can I do?"

"With the right ingredients…" She had calmed the broth and added a pink powder. The fluid turned clear and she sipped a bit from a wooden spoon. "Ah, I haven't lost my touch." Her wrinkled face turned up in a small grin. "It's for Hitomi. Poor dear, has a cold. She'll need it soon…" She smiled at Van mysteriously. He gave her an incredulous look.

"You don't mean…" he began uncertainly.

"Oh, how time flies! I'm needed in Lord Folken's office this very moment! Pleasant evening, Van…" She vanished in a poof of purple smoke as Van's eyes narrowed in frustration.

"Stupid witch…" he grumbled.

"I HEARD THAT!" A wooden spoon fell from the sky, bonking him on the head. He grunted, rubbing his cranium and wincing. She sure packed a punch.

"Women…" he muttered, rolling his eyes. Only God understood them. He shook his head, exiting, when he felt a slight tingling at his breast.

"Hm?" He looked down at the pendant that hung around his neck. It was glowing with an unearthly light. He tried to pull it off, but quickly ceased his efforts, finding the glass hot to the touch. "What the…?" Suddenly only one word came to his mind. "Hitomi…"

Folken sank into nothingness as he eased into his bath. Being king of the world was a tough job; even emperors needed some relaxation time, after all. He looked out the window from where he lounged, watching as an innocent cloud morphed into the woman of his affection's visage. He shook his head, watching the cloud return to its reality.

"Blast it… Why is it…? That everything I do… Reminds me of that girl…?" He sunk his head below the bubbles, trying to forget her face, finding it impossible. No shock there, really.

"And why am I dwelling on her like this?" he muttered to himself, tugging at his earring absentmindedly. "It's not like I'll ever see **her** again… She's caused nothing but trouble… That's all women do it seems like…"

He lay relaxed for another moment before a flash of light surrounded the room, nearly blinding him. "What the…?!"

When it returned from whence it came he saw a figure's silhouette. As the traveler came into view he mentally sighed.

_Here we go again…_

"You called?" She beamed playfully, blushing slightly at his state of nudity.

"Welcome back, Hitomi…" he murmured, closing his eyes and sinking below the water.

_Why me…?_

Hitomi settled into bed her first night back from Earth, fiddling with the end of her growing braid.

"I wonder if I should cut it again…"

She eyed her hair, sizing it up. The last time she'd cut she had been entering high school. Several boys in her class had been a bit too persistent in junior high. She had hoped to turn them off a bit with her somewhat boyish haircut. It worked, but there had been a price to pay. Her face reddened remembering a particular incident.

Flashback

"_Amano!" Hitomi called out in the crowded hallway the first day of high school, spotting her crush, Amano. She waved, grinning._

'_This could be a whole new era! I can see it now, __**Amano and Hitomi Forever! A. S. Loves H. K.**__ This is the year, I know it! I'm going to tell Amano how I really feel.' She saw Amano coming over and her face instantly flushed. 'Oh, gosh… What if I say something stupid? Or I have a piece of broccoli in my teeth? Or I stutter…? or…?!' The endless possibilities of total humiliation ran through her mind as he came closer and closer. 'Maybe I should run away… Yeah, that's it! No possibility to embarrass myself there! I'll just pretend that I had to… um… go to the bathroom!' A bead of sweat formed on her brow as she plotted her escape. But it was too late. Amano came up behind her._

"_I thought that I heard Hitomi over here…" He looked around in confusion. She turned around and he immediately flushed._

"_Oh, I'm sorry. You must be new this year. I'm Amano Sumuru. Welcome to KamaKita." He thrust out his hand for a hardy handshake as she gave him a baffled look._

"_AMANO! IT'S ME!" She shrieked in annoyance._

"_Huh? Really? Oh, it __**is**__ you, Hitomi! I didn't recognize you without your hair!" He laughed in amusement as her face turned as red as a rotten tomato._

"_Oh. Is that so? HA. HA. HA." She laughed forcefully, although he didn't seem to notice. "Um… HA. HA. HA." It didn't matter what she did. Humiliation always seemed to find her. She was one of its favorite victims._

End of Flashback

"Well I don't really want **that** to happen again…" She sweatdropped, crawling beneath the sheets of her bed. "It was bad enough once. I'd hate for an encore performance."

It seemed like she had just fallen into sleep's gentle embrace when she heard a rapping on her window. She blinked tiredly, as her eyes tried to focus. Who could be tapping on her window? They were thousands of feet above ground. Unless… She quickly got up, wrapping herself in a robe, drawing back the curtains, and fiddling with the window latch. When she finally succeeded, she smiled, knowing that once again she was right. It was pretty hard to tap on a window so high in the air… unless you had wings.

"Hello, Van." she whispered.

"Hello, Hitomi…"

They were sitting in a garden in Asturia. Once it had belonged to the sea country's great kings and queens. Now it seemed to be nothing more than a wasteland with stumps of trees and rotting plants surrounding a pathetic trickle of a stream. It was not like there was anything else to do in the dried-up little town of Palas. Both Folken and Hitomi realized that they needed to talk about… well everything. That's why they were there. But it was hard to be the first one to open up and discuss the last few months.

"I'm sorry." Hitomi stared at her hands in her lap as Folken arched his eyebrows.

"What do you possibly have to apologize about, Hitomi?" he asked in his usual monotonous voice.

"For everything. I… I need to talk to you… about something… About Van…" she murmured, closing her eyes, deep in thought. "Things have gotten… so complicated lately. Well, actually, complicated is putting it pretty lightly. I just feel like I don't know which way to turn anymore."

_Holding. Hugging. Kissing. Pleading. Rejection._

"I feel… torn…"

"In what way?"

Flashback

"_Folken needs me, Van…"_

"_But __**I **__need you!"_

"_I know… That's what makes this is so hard…" she whispered, sinking to her knees._

End of Flashback

"Well, isn't it obvious? Between you and Van, of course…" She stood up, sighing and sprawling on her back in the grass. "I feel so confused. I mean… Van has always been by my side. I've always thought of us as one soul trapped in two different bodies. But… he's changed… He's becoming so… brutal… I feel like I'm losing him to himself. I'm sorry. That doesn't make any sense, does it?" She looked up at him as he shook his head. "When I'm with Van, I feel at ease. But when I'm with you, I'm happy, too. I just… can't seem to make up my mind… And I feel bad about it. Like I can't really tell you what's wrong… It's hard…" she whispered. He nodded, staring at her. She seemed to see things that he could never comprehend. He wished that he could… reach out to her, hold her. Something. But he was at a loss. She was in a world of her own.

Flashback

"_Come with me…" Van whispered, licking his dry lips._

_  
"Van…" She sighed, her eyes sinking shut. She then opened them slowly as she saw him fiddling with the buttons on her nightgown, trailing kisses down her neck. "Van… Stop." She pulled his hands away._

"_Huh?" He looked up at her in confusion. He had retracted his wings after he stepped in to her room. He didn't look quite so angelic anymore._

"_Van… It isn't right… We can't do this. I'm married."_

"_But, we were meant to be together… Surely even you realize that by now!" he protested angrily._

"_It doesn't matter anymore. I can't betray him. Folken is my husband, even if not by choice."_

"_You actually think that he has __**feelings**__?! He's inhuman! He murdered our friends! You're living with a murderous, conniving bastard, whether you see it or not!"_

"_He's not like that, Van… Everyone makes mistakes… I think that Folken really regrets what happened… Can't you forgive him?"_

"_No! I'll never forgive him! He'll pay for my suffering!" Van roared, his shirt ripping as his wings burst from his back, extending in all of their heavenly glory. He grabbed her roughly by the hand as she protested, struggling against him. Suddenly, he fell limp in her arms. There seemed to be a dart in his back. Her eyes widened in horror as she looked to the door to see Yuushi standing there with a gun, looking at her with a concerned expression._

"_Don't worry… It's just a sedative that'll knock him out for a few hours… I heard screaming from down the hallway… It's a good thing that I got here in time."_

"_Thank you." she muttered, still eyeing the Draconian agonizingly. She touched his face, gently stroking his cheek. "Oh Van… What am I going to do with you?" _

"_What would you like __**me**__ to do with him?" Yuushi asked hesitantly._

"_What else? Send him back to Fanelia. There should be a ship leaving for there tonight. Get him on it. Please, go with him to make sure he doesn't wake up and kill everyone onboard. You would have my everlasting gratitude for performing such a favor." She smiled weakly._

"_Milady, that is something men would die for." he replied nobly, bowing as he hoisted up the Fanelian prince and left the room, leaving Hitomi with only her thoughts to comfort her._

End of Flashback

"Hitomi… I know that it's been hard for you here. I know that I've not been the ideal husband to you… but, I'll wait for your decision. Because, as cliché as it might sound, I know that you're worth waiting for." He got up, walking off without so much as a goodbye. A chill ran up her spine.

"How can I tell him? How can I tell him that Yukari's still alive? Would he even believe me? A man of science like him? But at least I know that you'll stick around until I figure out my next move, Folken… This is the trickiest game of chess I've ever played, but I intend to win…" she whispered, watching him gradually disappear into the distance.

"This is ridiculous…" Folken muttered in disgust.

"But my Lord…" Makai whispered in his oily voice.

"This is just what the doctor ordered. Literally. Or rather, the sorceress, I suppose. My orders are directly from Oban herself. She thinks that this is what's best for Lady Hitomi."

"Don't you trust my dear husband, Lord Folken? He's only doing what's best for your wife…" Sukusari whispered sultrily, placing a hand on Folken's arm and leaning into him.

"Please refrain, Madame." Folken murmured coldly, pushing her away.

"As you wish, My Lord." Sukusari muttered icily, gliding from the room.

"Milord, you've told me that Lady Hitomi has been acting quite distressed as of late and a bit… How can I put this gently? Odd…?"

"She seems a bit unnerved. She's not as cheerful as she was before Lady Yukari died… Her mind is filled with indecision." Folken admitted stoically.

"You've tried coaxing her into telling you what she's keeping from you, Milord. She's unresponsive. Surely, Lord Folken, this is the only way to find out what's going on!" Makai insisted.

"But really… Mind control? That seems a bit unethical in my mind…" Folken replied persistently.

"My Lord… You are a young man wise beyond your years, yet surely you understand the place of a woman in a household! You are her husband and responsible for her well-being! If you're not willing to do what's best for her, then perhaps Lady Hitomi should find someone who will…" Makai gave him a sly look and Folken glared in disapproval.

"Did you have to drug her?" Folken asked quietly, staring at her still frame, lying on the metal table.

"It was the only way, My Lord. You don't just up to a girl and ask her if you can use a mind controlling serum on her. I doubt that most would be partial to the idea." he replied bluntly. "On my instruction, there was a small amount of sleeping powder sprinkled in her breakfast this morning. It knocked her out nicely, don't you think? But she'll only be asleep for an hour. If we are going to do it, we must begin immediately!"

"I guess that there's no turning back now…" Folken mumbled in frustration at the steps that were being taken.

"Good. Then I'll simply inject her." He filled a syringe with a fluorescent green liquid, heading over to the empress's side. "As you know, Freid was the first country to begin interrogating people through the power of trance. Since we are men of science and do not believe in their priests and voodoo magic, we've conjured up a serum that works along the same lines. Don't be surprised if she looks a bit dazed. It's perfectly normal."

He rolled up her long sleeve, revealing her pale, slender arm. He swabbed an area just below her elbow before inserting the needle into the vein, pushing the plunger and watching the green solution drain steadily until there was nothing left. He removed it, cleaning the end and putting it aside.

"It should take a minute or two for it to take affect. Then she'll awaken." the sorcerer explained calmly, noticing Folken's concerned expression.

Seconds seemed like hours and minutes were centuries to the blue-haired man, staring at his wife's unconscious form. He still didn't buy into this solution. But surely if Oban had prescribed it… He sighed. She was quite a bitch in her old age, but she was a loyal bitch in a weird, mother-like way. And he did care for her greatly, despite her somewhat crappy attitude. She was an old softy, despite her hardened appearance. Age did that to a person.

"When I get to be as old as her I hope that somebody will shoot me…" he muttered.

"What was that, My Lord?" Makai arched an eyebrow in puzzlement.

"Oh. Nothing." Folken responded awkwardly.

"I believe that she's awakening." Makai observed as the girl twitched slightly. Folken leaned forward anxiously.

Her eyes shot open. They were gray and dilated. She quickly sat upright, blinking as she studied her surroundings.

"I'll test her." Makai announced, walking over to stand in front of her importantly. "What is your name, Milady?"

"My name is Hitomi Kanzaki." she whispered.

"What…?" The sorcerer murmured in confusion. "That's not right… What is your station in life?"

"I'm just your average teenage girl. I'm fifteen years old. I attend KamaKita High School. My best friend is Yukari Uchida. But now I find myself in the strange land of Gaea, where I aid Lord Van with my fortune-telling and visions." Hitomi responded emotionlessly.

"What the hell is going on…?" Makai whispered in uncertainty, looking nervously at Folken.

"I don't know. Why don't you tell me, Doctor?" She looked up at him blankly.

"Perhaps the drugs, combined with the formula, had an adverse reaction…" Folken mused. "It's obvious what has happened. In this trance she thinks that she's on Gaea for the first time…"

"I'll leave the two of you alone. I'm sorry for this set-back, Milord." Makai bowed himself out of the room. Folken shook his head in exasperation.

"Hitomi…" he whispered, suspicion reaching him. "What troubles you?"

"I'm alone…" she whispered, bowing her head. "It hurts to be alone… I'm always hurt, so I guess that means that I'm always alone… Van is alone, too… That's why we make such good comrades. I feel Van's pain… Even when he's surrounded by people who care about him, he doesn't see it… That's why he's lonely. But together… we're not so alone anymore… I'm happy when I'm with him."

"You are, aren't you?" Folken found the thoughts of 15-year-old Hitomi depressing, yet insightful.

"Yes. Van doesn't know what a good person he is. On the outside he seems uncaring and cold, but I know deep down, he's very kind and gentle. I only wish that he could see that…"

"He is hardened. Death does that to you. Eventually, you don't even really care." Folken replied emotionlessly.

"But he does care… I know that he does… When Balgus died, Van was crying…" Hitomi whispered softly. "He tried to hide it, but I saw his tears… They were tears of Van's heart…" Hitomi said softly. "And you, Folken… You cried for them, right? Naria and Eriya… You cried when they sacrificed their lives for your own. They had such sad lives… Perhaps they were happy to die… They were finally free… I'm glad for them…" Folken looked away. "Tell me, Folken… When will the tears stop…? When will everyone stop crying?"

"I… I don't know…" Folken confessed honestly.

"I'm tired of this existence… of this whole world… I wish that I could fade away… I'm sick of having to choose sides between people who I love and care about. It hurts so much…" Both heads turned when the door was smashed open by a powerful blast of energy.

"LORD FOLKEN!" Oban shrieked as she dashed in, easily flying over the debris.

"LADY HITOMI!" Ari cried as she and Yuushi dashed in behind the old woman.

"Lady Hitomi…" Yuushi gasped as the three caught sight of the pair. "You're alive…?"

"Why wouldn't she be?" Folken asked coolly as he rose from where he was seated.

"My Lord…" Oban bowed her head in reverence for once.

She was cut off as two guards burst in, dragging the enraged sorcerer, Makai, by the arms.

"LET ME GO, YOU FOOLS! I'LL KILL YOU BOTH! LET ME GO!" Apparently, Makai's argument wasn't particularly compelling, because the guards retained their tight grip on him.

"Oban… What is the meaning of this?" Folken asked in a quiet, but enraged tone.

The old sorceress paid no heed to his anger, storming over to the detained man, her robes flowing behind her. She had a furious look on her face. Everyone watched in amazement as she reverted into her younger form and then her older, her eyes glowing as she kept changing. Getting taller then shorter, her hair changing from gray to blonde, her eyes changing from green to blue. It was an astonishing sight to say the least.

"My Lady…" Ari whispered fearfully, holding onto Yuushi's arm, paralyzed by the scene unfolding before her.

"MAKAI, YOU TWISTED BASTARD!" the old woman shrieked, before reverting to her younger form. "The crime you've committed is unspeakable_…_" her younger self whispered, closing her ice-blue eyes. "YOU FUCKING TRAITOR!" Oban the old screamed, reaching forward as if to strangle him. "You must be destroyed…_"_ The blonde woman's eyes flashed as Makai's face contorted in horror.

_He… He's afraid of Oban …?_ Hitomi realized in disbelief.

"But what has he done wrong?" Folken demanded, aggravated about being uninformed.

"My Lord Folken_…_" Oban's younger form turned to him, her blue robes fluttering about her from the massive amount of energy she was releasing as her long, blonde hair flew upward. "This man has deceived you… And I will not tolerate it." She looked up at him, her cerulean eyes glowing in anger. "YOU!" Her old form whirled around to face Makai. "YOU TRIED TO KILL HER! THE EMPRESS! HOW DARE YOU?!" she shrieked shrilly. "YOU GAVE HER UNTESTED SERUM! YOU COULD HAVE KILLED HER!" Oban screamed. "That chemical was to be used to force the truth out of prisoners and then kill them… Makai was aware of this…" the younger form whispered icily. "Luckily, his stupidity rivals his treachery… I had yet to test it. It did not product the desired effect. It didn't work. My mistake!" Everyone around her sweatdropped.

"However, Makai didn't realize that this serum had yet to be tested. Knowing its intended purpose, he stole it from my laboratory and used it on Lady Hitomi. He hoped that it would kill her and he could pin the blame on me. He planned to kill two birds with one stone." She then changed into her old form, a grim expression crossing her visage. "I will kill him for his murderous ambitions…" she whispered, her eyes narrowing as she conjured up immense power within her palm.

Makai began to noticeably sweat, biting his lip as blood ran down his chin.

"No… Not that…" he muttered hoarsely.

"And now… I will end your life…" the younger form of Oban murmured as she placed two fingers on his forehead.

Folken stepped in front of Hitomi and Yuushi shielded Ari's eyes as a blood-curdling shriek was emitted from Makai. Folken watched in a mix of wonderment and horror as Makai's flesh disappeared from his bones, his blood dripping sickly to the floor as his bones began to break away from his body. With a resounding thud, his bones hit the metal floor. Within seconds, they had turned to dust, blowing away with an invisible breeze as Oban lowered her hand, opening her eyes fully.

"He's gone…" Folken murmured in disbelief. A pool of blood now marred the once spotless floor.

A/N: God, I can't tell you how long I've been working on this stupid chapter! I hope that you enjoyed it! **Please review**!I'm grooving out to "Barbie Girl" right now… "I love you, Ken!" Too bad that Barbie doesn't know about the big break-up… I'm sorry about the delays in my updates. I've just found myself changing interests as of late, and forcing myself to write these… But I want to finish this fic… (For peace of mind mostly…) Have fun finishing the last quarter of school and expect an update… wait… I know that I'll never make my deadline… I'll try to get the next one out as soon as I can. Thanks for everything!

Next Time On "Tears of the Heart":

"_But I don't want to make a choice. I care for both of them. I don't want to hurt anyone."_

"_It's far too late to avoid that. It's a simple question with a simple answer. Who do you want? Van or Folken?"_

"_But I want both!"_

"_You can't have both."_


	12. Realization

Disclaimer: I don't own Escaflowne, its characters, or any flashbacks used from the series in this story. I also don't own "Kissing You" by Des'ree.

A/N: Yep, I'm not dead! I know that a lot of people are mad at me and confused over the sparse updates and such, but to be honest, I started this fic when I was a lot more into this series. I still love it, but not with the same fervor I had at an earlier age. I wish that I did because it would make it a lot easier to finish. This is my last Esca fic since I probably won't continue my other two. It's kind of sad because I really loved this series for the better part of two years. I'm still quite fond of it. It's going to be hard saying goodbye to you all, but I'm not quite there yet, so no need for it! Anyway, let's begin with the twelfth chapter. Oh, and for "Kissing You," this chapter's song, if you possibly can, play it. The lyrics aren't really that great, but the song is so beautiful I just want to cry… It's off of the "Romeo + Juliet" soundtrack. It's an amazing song.

Cey- Oh wow… This is a long review! But I'm lovin' it! (Oh God, McDonald's haunts me…) I like how logical you are in defending your opinions. You don't just tell me what you think should happen; you tell me _why_ it should happen. I like that! I can see why you want V/H to be together, and being a long-time V/H fanatic, I share your feelings about the matter. This fic is a little different though. I've actually changed my mind over who she ends up with multiple times. I think that I know how I'm ending it now, but you never know… You'll have to wait and find out. Hitomi is insanely optimistic. But she's quite angsty at times with all that knee hugging and such. I think that I am going to put some closure on the Y/A issue somewhere in the next few chapters. I didn't really follow your advice to update soon… Sorry!

Inda- Thanks! V/H do make an insanely adorable couple. (They're both so awkward!) And you're right… Things _can_ and _will_ change.

Julesangel04- I'm so happy that you like it! I'd honestly just stop writing it if everyone hated it… I didn't continue soon, but I did continue! Thanks again!

Draco MalfoyGirl 16- Van is a baby. He's endearing, yet very whiny at times. (You've seen the series, you know…) I think that it's because he was pushed through his childhood so quickly. He sometimes seems to respond to things a bit childishly. That's how I portray him anyway. I don't think that he's a weakling, just a little sensitive. He hasn't seen his soulmate in two years though, you must admit, one does have reason to whine. Yay! A F/H fan! (The V/H fans are overwhelming for this story, which actually surprises me.) There is a lot of F/H in this chapter so you'll hopefully like it! Thanks for reading!

Dragonsdaughter1- Thank you so much. Your review really made me happy. I know that it sounds stupid, but I felt a lot better after reading it. Ha, another F/H fan!

Seabreeze- I'm glad you like the story and the music. I'm a music freak, so I can't help but add it in. I just hope won't freeze me. I put it at the top and I acknowledge the band or singer so I figure that it's okay. I just put it up there really to suggest something for people to listen to while reading, to set the mood, you know? You have a very definite opinion on this, don't you? I love it!

Dumb Idiot- This probably wasn't supposed to make me laugh, but it did. It sounds like one of my friends… I'm glad that you like the fic. I'm sorry that it took me so long to update. Life has been quite hectic lately. I hate when writers don't work on their fics for a really long time and I'm sorry that I've become one of those writers. Thanks for reading!

Darkangl28- It's really weird… Three different people all of a sudden came upon my fic within a span of two days after I hadn't updated in a year… I'm glad that you guys discovered it though. This is my favorite fic that I've worked on. I'm glad that I'm keeping you on the edge of your seat! Just don't fall off, because the twists just keep on coming!

Mizery Rizes- I'm sorry that it makes you sad. Personally, I seem to be drawn to depressing stories. That's probably because I am weird. Gone With the Wind is one of my favorite movies, to show you how much I love tragic stories. Poor Scarlett.

Wakaba- Well, I don't believe that I've ever been yipped at before. Don't you hate it when there are no more chapters? I do, too. Here is the long-awaited chapter 12! I hope that it was worth the wait!

Laloner- Getting this review fourteen months after I last updated made me feel like I really did need to actually begin to finish my story, so thank you. I'm so glad that you like the fic. And I finally did update, so I can dance and sing and frolic and so can you… Yay!

**Tears of the Heart**

Chapter 12: Realization

_Pride can stand a thousand trials,  
The strong will never fall  
But watching stars without you,  
My soul cried_

_Heaving heart is full of pain,  
Oh, oh, the aching  
'Cause I'm kissing you, oh,  
I'm kissing you, oh_

_Touch me deep, pure and true,  
Gift to me forever  
'Cause I'm kissing you, oh,  
I'm kissing you, oh_

_Where are you now?  
Where are you now?_

'_Cause I'm, oh I'm kissing you,  
I'm kissing you, oh, ohhhh!_

-"Kissing You" by Des'ree

The lonesome king stared out of his window solemnly, scrutinizing the lands in the distance. His lands. The lands that he had sworn to protect when he was crowned king so many years ago. He was only eighteen, but he felt decades past it. All he could see was her face. And those eyes. The eyes that had bewitched him since the first time he'd seen her. There was just something about them. If he didn't know and love her so well, he would swear that she was a sorceress. No one had ever been able to control him so easily, to sway his judgment without difficulty. He guessed that someone had to come along. He was just unfortunate, or _fortunate_ depending on how you looked at it, that that someone had been her.

Being so close, yet so far away at the same time was unbearable. And the thought that his brother was the one who had taken her from him was what tortured him most of all. The idea of him touching her, kissing her, being with her- utterly sickened him. He was through waiting around for love to find him. For happiness to knock upon his door. For his dreams to take hold. If life in this dark, barren world had taught him anything, it was one lesson. If you wanted something, you had to reach out and grab it; screw the consequences. He was using this lesson. She wouldn't get away from him again.

"It is time for the final battle. Folken will **not** escape unscathed this time. He'll have to answer to me. And I'll finally get back what's rightfully mine…" Van Fanel whispered, licking his lips. He whispered hoarsely, "The generals! I must find my generals. If I intend to go to war with the planet, they probably have the right to know…"

"_Mother…?" She looked down at her young son as he tugged on her skirt._

"_What is it, Sweetheart?" she asked softly, leaning forward and scooping him up in her arms._

"_Mother, why is Father crying?" the small boy asked innocently._

_She felt herself visibly stiffen as her throat tightened. She bit her tongue to try to hold back the tears she felt coming, nearly biting it off in the process. How could she tell him…?_

"_Well, Baby… Father's sad because someone very dear to him left…" she replied delicately._

"_Who was it?"_

"_Your Papa's brother. The only one he had. He cared for him very much."_

"_Where'd he leave to? Did he go to the Mystic Moon like you, Mother? Did he travel through the sky?" he asked excitedly, eyes lighting up with excitement._

"_No, Honey… He went somewhere very different. He went to be with your Grandmother in heaven."_

"_But why'd he leave? Father looks so sad…"_

"_Sometimes, we can't help but hurt the ones we love… It's just life I guess…"_

"_I don't want Father to be sad, Mother…" he whispered, gripping at her collar, pressing his face into her chest._

"_Neither do I, Love, neither do I…" she murmured softly. _

"A child! A son. **My** son…" Hitomi gasped, eyes widening. "It's odd. When I was younger, I always saw myself growing up and never getting married. I never thought that any boy would want to be with me. It's kind of funny that ever since I came to Gaea, I've had boys **literally** fighting over me. But that vision couldn't have lied. I have a son. Well, I'll **have** a son." Her cheeks flushed. "But whose son is it?" she whispered. She hadn't gotten a good look at the boy. And even if she had, it probably wouldn't have done her a lot of good since the two men who wanted to be with her were brothers with the same genes. "And one of them… One of them is going to die… Oh God, no… I can't bear it again. I don't want to see the people who I love die. I'm tired of being hurt, God. Please stop it. Stop it right now." A stream of tears descended down her pale cheeks as she smashed her face against her pillow, trying to numb the overwhelming pain and nausea creeping up within her. She stood up, walking out onto the balcony overlooking the sea. The endless, engulfing sea made up of all hues of blue and green.

"What has got **your** goat?" Oban appeared out of nowhere, sitting on her bed.

Hitomi shrieked, leaping in the air and nearly falling off of her balcony

"I'm not **that** ugly, am I?" Oban scratched her head, grinning coyly.

"Oban… Do you get some kind of sick thrill from nearly killing me?"

"It's a fetish I suppose." She grinned wickedly. "But seriously, what's wrong? I could hear you on the other side of the fortress."

"Oban… Folken and Van are in danger. One of them is going to die. I don't know what to do. I know that it's my fault. It's **always** my fault." she whispered. "Everyone who I've ever cared about have suffered because of me."

"Will you shut up already? You can't blame yourself for every bad thing that has ever happened. It's just not logical. You may be unaware of this, but I too, have the gift of sight."

"What…?"

"But unlike you, I can control it. I can see your future right now."

"Oban … What do you see? What will happen to me?"

"You'll live, Hitomi. You'll live and die like every other person. You'll have children. Your children will have children. You'll be happy."

"But who with, Oban? Who will I be happy **with**?"

"That part of my vision is clouded."

"But why? It was unclear in my vision as well."

"Because even the future doesn't know yet. It's up to you to decide, Hitomi. You have a choice to make. Everything depends on which choice you decide on."

"But I don't want to make a choice. I care for both of them. I don't want to hurt anyone."

"It's far too late for that. It's a simple question with a simple answer. Who do you want? Folken or Van?"

"I want both."

"You can't have both."

"Why not?"

"It's not complicated. It's no different here than on the Mystic Moon. One husband and one wife. And don't try the whole polygamy thing on me. No one sane has that problem."

"Why can't we all just live together peacefully?"

"Oh yeah, that would work out fine. 'Good morning, Hitomi. I'm going to kill you, Folken!' and 'Good morning to you too, you useless infidel.'"

"I just mean… Aw… I don't know what I mean."

"Often, it seems that when people say that they don't what they mean, they know _exactly_ what they mean…" The old, haggard woman whispered with a rasp.

"You make NO SENSE!" She screeched, taking the woman by the shoulders and shaking her.

"I'm old. I have an excuse. You do not." she muttered as Hitomi set her down with a sigh. "Look at me, Hitomi. I'm aged. I'm decrepit. I'm losing all traces of my sanity… When I die, it will be a blessing. However, the idea of you squabbling infants stabbing each other over such a trivial thing as romance is sickening. Why not go fetch your gun, get the hound dogs, and run to the ol' swimmin' hole while you're at it?" Hitomi stared at her, obviously understanding the insults being fired at her. "I just think that it's ridiculous for you to break an entire family apart. It'd be better if you'd never come at all."

Hitomi stared at her.

"Do you really mean that?" she asked in disbelief.

"Of course I do. You've dashed all hopes of reconciliation between those two idiots. The hopes were pretty damn small, but you squashed them like bugs beneath your heel."

"Folken killed our friends…" Hitomi whispered bitterly, her voice shaking.

"You say that, but has your husband ever mentioned doing such a thing…?"

"Well no, but…"

"Then how do you know?"

Flashback

"_I am Makai, a sorcerer of Zaibach. You were brought here using the destiny prognostication engine, which Lord Folken rescued from the Vione…" _

"_Where is Folken? I thought that he was helping the Allies…"_

"_A clever ploy to gain their trust, then strike. We killed them all…"_

"_F-Folken is a traitor?" Hitomi stuttered in disbelief._

End of Flashback

"Makai said so…"

"Pshaw… He's a sorcerer… How often have they been known to tell the damn truth?"

Hitomi stared straight ahead in complete and udder shock, her face paling considerably. This couldn't be happening. She must have been dreaming.

Flashback

"_I want you to trust me." Folken said softly._

End of Flashback

_Trust me._

_Trust me._

_Trust me…_

"I want to trust him-" she murmured. "I want to trust him with all of my heart. But I can't. He killed them."

Flashback

"_Aren't you afraid of me? I'm the one who sent the Intensified Luck Soldiers after you." Folken said stoically._

"_I can't explain it… But…"_

"_But…?" Folken asked._

"_If I were afraid, you wouldn't be comfortable. It wouldn't work. If you don't trust people, they don't trust you…" she said wisely._

"_You know my stay here could just be part of my plot…" Folken warned her._

"_All the same, I still wouldn't think you were a bad person, Folken. Even if my trust was misplaced." Hitomi smiled at him._

"_So that's your power…" he murmured as Van looked on with an angry expression from nearby._

End of Flashback

Flashback

"_How could you join Zaibach? How could you abandon your country and plot to kill your own brother? How could you burn the kingdom you were meant to rule to the ground? What happened to Folken Lacoeur de Fanel?"_

"_Have you ever looked at my face, Hitomi?" He turned on the desk lamp to illuminate the right side of his face where she could plainly see the purple teardrop tattooed on his cheek. "When I joined Zaibach, I abandoned my past life and started anew. Folken Lacoeur de Fanel died when the dragon bit off his arm. That was the day that Folken Strategos, strategist of Zaibach, was born. I sacrificed my family, my people, my friends, and my birthright, all for the sake of a new world. I asked Dornkirk for this tattoo. I changed how I did my hair, donned sorcerers' robes, had my ears pierced, received my metal appendage, and the tattoos around my eyes also seemed appropriate. I swore from that day forward that I would never cry again. I have only broken that promise once, when I was responsible for the deaths of Naria and Eriya. This tattoo represents all the miseries of my life and the tears that were never and will never be shed. I was given a new life, and with it, I became a different person. Folken Lacoeur de Fanel is dead, Hitomi."_

End of Flashback

"He didn't do it!" she whispered in amazement. "Even at that time, he didn't admit to killing them because he didn't! He has been innocent this whole time, hasn't he? And all of this time I've treated him so badly…"

"Have a look for yourself." Oban commanded, muttering a few words as a wavering image appeared before them.

"I don't need to see anymore! I don't need to see ever again!" Hitomi called over her shoulder cheerfully as she ran out of the room.

_I can see with my heart…_

"Fine. Stupid girl." Oban muttered, feeling very tired all of a sudden. She sat down, feeling her age for the first time in years. She glanced at the image, watching Folken chase Makai out of the palace in Asturia after he discovered the plot against the Allies. But it was too late. Fire exploded behind him as he took to the air, fleeing for his life. His brother watched from far below, filled with feelings of pain and betrayal. Folken didn't see him.

"I just wish…" Oban murmured, her eyes closing. Those were to be the last words on the cantankerous old sorceress's lips before she quietly passed on. It seemed quite out-of-character for her.

_I guess that this is what they call an adrenaline rush…_ She thought, realizing that she was sprinting as fast as she had during her high school track days. Suddenly, she found herself at his door and barged in without so much as a knock.

"FOLKEN!" she cried. She was startled when she noticed that he wasn't there.

"Folken?" She looked in all of his adjoining rooms, but she couldn't find him. Then, she saw him through the window. He was out on the balcony, staring up into the heavens, drenched from the downpour. "FOLKEN!" She nearly broke the doors down running out to see him. He didn't even seem to notice that she was there. "Folken… I understand now. I know that you didn't do all of those terrible things. I'm sorry, Folken. I've made your life so sad. I went against everything I ever promised to you. I once told you that I trusted you. I know now that by not believing in you, that I betrayed your trust. But I know now and things will be better and we'll be happy." She wrapped her arms around him, not seeming to notice that he hadn't said a word.

"So what has brought you to this shocking revelation?" he asked in the same emotionless tone she'd grown so accustomed to.

"I don't know. I guess that I just put the pieces together. It never made sense to me, you betraying everyone. It just didn't seem like you. The new you, anyway. Now I know that you're innocent. You didn't kill them."

"I've always known that I didn't kill them, but I'm still responsible. Makai never would have gone in there if I hadn't betrayed Zaibach."

"But _you_ didn't kill them, Folken. That's what's important. That's how I know that I can forgive you."

_How I know that I can love you…_

"You just don't get it, do you? If it wasn't for me, all of your friends would still be alive. So in a way, you've been right all along. I killed them."

"I don't believe that. Just because things didn't turn out the way you wanted doesn't defeat the fact that you tried to save them. You've always been trying, Folken."

He awkwardly placed his metal hand against her own.

"Hitomi, if I _tried_, I could crush your hand in an instant. I could even kill you."

"You could, but you won't." she whispered.

"I know you, Folken. I've always known you."

"Maybe you know me better than I know myself." he murmured, brushing back a piece of her hair from her face.

"What have you done to me?" He stepped back for a moment, taking her shoulders in his hands. "Hitomi, do you know that I-?"

"You what?" she asked softly.

"I… Oh never mind." he muttered, striding back into his room.

"Folken, you know what?" she asked, perching herself on his bed. "We're alike, you and I. We've loved and we've lost. But we keep moving forward. We always move forward. Inside, we may seem unsure, but we never give up. We just keep going. That's why we're alike." She didn't notice when he came closer, taking her by the shoulders. He was staring at her and it was beginning to unnerve her. "Folken, what are you doing?"

"Nothing that I shouldn't have done a long time ago…" he told her, tracing her jawline with one of his fingers made of flesh and bone, sending a small shiver down her spine.

He moved in, and after what seemed like an eternity, his lips finally found hers. The kiss was warm and soft. Passionate. Nothing like the chaste kiss they'd shared at that horrible wedding. She wrapped her arms around his neck. It felt so wrong and yet, so very right. Suddenly, they broke apart, gasping for air, avoiding eye contact. Finally, she took his hands in her own, looking up at him.

"Are you sure about this?"

"I've never been more certain of anything in my life…" he murmured, as much as he hated clichés, he was using them all the more frequently. His whole life was one big ironic cliché. However, if it had brought her to him, then he didn't care anymore.

Hitomi awoke the next morning. She blinked tiredly, glancing about.

_Wait a minute? Where am I?_ She clutched the bed covers about her. Then it all came back to her. Her face turned a bright tomato red. Had she really done _that_ with Folken? Well at least she knew where she was now. It seemed that Oban had been right. Folken's room was quite extravagant. She seemed to be engulfed by black marble and velvet. It was beautiful, in an outlandish sort of way. She wondered if she'd be in here a lot more often now. Her face immediately reddened once more. Only one thing was missing from this embarrassing moment, and that was Folken. She looked to her right and saw that the tousled covers no longer covered her husband.

"Where is he?" she wondered aloud.

"Um… Good morning, Milady!" Ari chirped hesitantly as Hitomi squeaked in surprise.

"I was just bringing your things in here. You know, your clothing, your hairbrush, that sort of thing." She hung a slew of dresses in the very masculine armoire.

"Oh no, that's really not necessary…" She began to get out of bed, but then noting her state of undress, thought better of it.

"Sorry, Milady; Lord Folken's orders."

"Folken told you to do this…?" she asked hopelessly. Apparently her guess had been right on the mark.

"Of course. It's about time too, in my opinion. It's just not natural. You've been married for almost a year now."

"Oh. Right." Hitomi murmured, still incomprehensibly embarrassed.

"So…" The maid got right next to her so that she was barely a nose away. "How was it?"

"UGH! ARI!" Hitomi flushed, throwing a pillow at her. "I'M NOT ANSWERING THAT!"

"Oh, then it was good. Hear that, Yuushi? It was good!" Said dragonslayer came in just then, to Hitomi's horror.

"I'll have to tell Lord Folken. He'll be quite pleased I'm sure."

"YOU GUYS!" Hitomi shrieked, becoming more humiliated by the minute as her sex life became Vione gossip.

"Oh, sorry, sorry! I just came to bring you a message from the emperor." Yuushi excused himself.

"Well, what is it?" she asked curiously.

"'Goodbye.'"

"That's it?" she asked incredulously.

"Yep. That's it." he acknowledged.

"But where is he going?"

"The same place where I'm going in a moment. The king of Fanelia has invaded. He's right outside the ship. Lord Folken went to defeat him once and for all."

"Oh no… Not Van…" Hitomi murmured.

Flashback

"_I'll always be there for you…" he promised softly._ "_Always…"_

End of Flashback

"Van, I know that's why you're doing this… Ari, quickly! Get me something to wear! Yuushi, fetch me a hors! And for God's sake, be quick about it!" Not daring to question her, they quickly went to perform their duties.

"So, my brother…" Folken whispered icily across the battle field. No guymelefs were necessary for this fight. Hand-to-hand combat would do nicely. "We meet again…"

"For the last time…" Van finished, clutching the sword that had once belonged to Allen Schezar.

"So it would seem." Folken murmured. A dusty wind blew across the dry, lifeless land that separated the two brothers.

A/N: Well, something's going down out there obviously. Will Hitomi make it in time? Will Van and Folken _both_ die? Will the stupid Destiny War ever end? And what about the author? Does she feel regret for not updating her fic for 15 months? (That last one's a definite yes…) I'm so sorry that it took so long to get this out. Life has been crazy and my priorities have shifted. I promise you, no matter how long it takes, I will finish this. There are two more chapters and an epilogue chapter coming up, and then TOTH will finally be put to rest. Thank you for your patience, your understanding, for not killing me, etc… Thanks for everything. It's a crazy world folks. Besides finishing the last three chapters, I'm going to go back and fix the many mistakes I've found in previous chapters and change the songs in chapter 3 and 10… Please review!

Next Time On "Tears of the Heart":

"_And I know that it hurts and I know that inside you're crying, Van. I know that your heart is broken and weeping. But you can't hate Folken. You shouldn't hate him. It's not his fault…"_

"_LIAR!" Van yelled defensively, his eyes widening in anger at her words._

"_If you'd been there, Hitomi, if you'd seen what I saw… If you saw what that bastard did to Merle…"_

"_Van, it __**wasn't**__ him! Don't you understand me?"_


	13. Broken Tomorrow

Disclaimer: I don't own Escaflowne, its original characters, or any flashbacks from the series used in this fic. I also do not own the song "True Colors" by Cyndi Lauper. However, Yuushi, Ari, Oban, Makai, and Sukusari are mine.

A/N: It's time for chapter thirteen now, isn't it? I won't waste your time with my idiotic babbling! On with the story!

**Tears of the Heart**

_You with the sad eyes  
Don't be discouraged  
Oh I realize  
It's hard to take courage  
In a world full of people  
You can lose sight of it all  
And the darkness inside you  
Can make you feel so small_

But I see your true colors  
Shining through  
I see your true colors  
And that's why I love you  
So don't be afraid to let them show  
Your true colors  
True colors are beautiful,  
Like a rainbow

Show me a smile then,  
Don't be unhappy, can't remember  
When I last saw you laughing  
If this world makes you crazy  
And you've taken all you can bear  
You call me up  
Because you know I'll be there

And I'll see your true colors  
Shining through  
I see your true colors  
And that's why I love you  
So don't be afraid to let them show  
Your true colors  
True colors are beautiful,  
Like a rainbow

-"True Colors" by Cyndi Lauper

Chapter 13: Broken Tomorrow

"Hyah! Hyah!" Hitomi urged, digging her heels into her horse's sides as she galloped across the empty field. They were outside of Asturia. Van and Folken stood there, glaring daggers at each other. She could see them from a distance as her mount kicked up dust behind her. Sweat dripped down her brow.

_What should I do? I can't bear the thought of losing either one of them… I love them… They've both become so important to me. Without them, I don't think that I could breathe… I need them like oxygen. So vital, so life-fulfilling. Losing Van would be like losing an arm and losing Folken would be like losing the other. What would I do without my arms?_ She immediately remembered a video they'd shown in her health class about a woman born without arms who could still drive a car, but she shook her head, clearing the thought. She was getting a bit off topic. After all, there were no cars on Gaea.

"VAN! FOLKEN!" she called as she rushed towards them. They turned, noticing her approach, then turned back towards each other and glared, as though daring the other to call out to her first.

"HITOMI!" Van replied, waving at her frantically with his muscled arm. Folken just gazed at her with an unfathomable expression. He acknowledged her presence. Folken wasn't the type to yell or make a commotion over anything. Even his lunatic wife riding out in the middle of a life-or-death duel.

"Why don't you just let her go? She wants to be with me! You took her from me just for spite, and when this is over, I'll take her back! And we'll be happy! No thanks to you, Brother!" Van spat vehemently as Hitomi finally reached them, quickly dismounting.

"Are you both **crazy**?" she yelled indignantly as she stormed up to them. "Rushing out here at the crack of dawn to kill each other? What kind of idiots are you? Van, your wounds are still healing, and Folken, well I'd just expect more sense out of you… Do you really think that this impresses me? You slicing each other to bits before my very eyes?"

"Well, we didn't exactly invite you out here, Hitomi." Van reminded her sternly, happy to see her, yet annoyed by her interruption.

"Despite what practices are followed on the Mystic Moon, on Gaea, women are not seen on the field of battle." Folken whispered. Hitomi could tell that he was annoyed because his voice grew quieter and quieter. It was Folken's manner.

"What were you going to do? Either of you? Folken, if you won, would you come back in and say, 'Hey! I wiped out that pesky savior of yours!' And Van, if you won, what would you do? Come in and whisk me away after telling me that you'd murdered my husband while I slept? For men of such good breeding, for men of such good hearts, your actions disgust me. I don't care how medieval Gaea is! All of your world's problems cannot be solved by constant fighting! Everything you build is soon destroyed. All your hopes are soon crushed. How can you really expect to accomplish anything when everyone must constantly live in fear?"

"Well, how do they solve problems in **your** world, Hitomi?" Van asked calmly.

"Actually… They do the same thing…" she whispered, her feet suddenly becoming very interesting.

"What a hypocrite…" Van murmured, shaking his head.

"Just because my people do it doesn't mean that I believe that it's right!" she protested. "We make mistakes. Horrible mistakes. But I'd hate for all the terrible things that have happened on Earth to happen here as well! It's just not right!"

"You tend to use that argument quite frequently…" Folken observed as Hitomi blushed.

_Naria…_ Hitomi thought sadly. _And look where that got her… _ She shivered.

"War does not produce change. Hitomi's… right." Van murmured hesitantly. "Look at us, Folken. We just keep fighting the same battle. What's the point? I'm sick of it. I keep thinking that maybe I can give fighting up. I even gave up my own sword. But too soon after, I realized what an idiot I was and fetched another weapon. The moment an adversary drops their blade, you are only considered wise if you pick it up. Hitomi's right, but really, I don't see any other way…"

"Van, if you would only submit to Zaibach, our world would be free of battle. There would finally be **peace**."

"But don't you see, Folken? Even if I were to surrender our homeland, then someone else would answer the call. Brother, if you oppress people, someone is bound to rise up and challenge you. But even if I had no country. Even if I had no people. Even if I had no pride. Even if I had nothing left worth fighting for, I'd _kill _you, Folken. I'd kill you without remorse. You killed my friends. My allies. You killed them all, Folken, and you didn't even care! Their lives, they meant nothing to you! That's why I hate Zaibach. Why I hate you. You treat lives like they're nothing, just dirt beneath your feet. To you, lives are dispensable. That's the difference between you and me, Brother. Unlike you, I try to see the worth of every life. Because I know that life is worth living. That's why I don't understand how you can defend him, Hitomi. They were your friends, too. And you… You, Hitomi… You've abandoned them…"

"I've never abandoned them, you jerk…" Hitomi whispered angrily.

"Do you know what it was like to come back here? To come back to the place I considered my home and find out that the people who had become my family were dead? When I thought that you were dead, I didn't want to go on living. Because I love you, you stupid bastard. And I loved them. But we can't do anything for them now, Van. You live in the past, and the way you're going, you're going to die there." she continued shakily. "And I know that it hurts and I know that inside you're crying, Van. I know that your heart is broken and weeping. But you can't hate Folken. You shouldn't hate him. It's not his fault…"

"LIAR!" Van yelled defensively, his eyes widening in anger at what she was saying.

"If you'd been there, Hitomi, if you'd seen what I saw… If you saw what that bastard did to Merle…"

"Van, it **wasn't** him! Don't you understand me? We were tricked, lied to, deceived! Zaibach's sorcerers killed them to get back at Folken when he joined our cause! Folken never betrayed us. He never lied to us. He never cheated us. Your brother loves you. He has always loved you." Hitomi said softly, walking up to the raven-haired king and hugging him tightly, tears coursing down her cheeks. "But it's alright now. We're all here together and we'll survive and we'll be happy. You two can end all of this right here, right now."

"He has poisoned you…" Van whispered, his eyes flashing dangerously. "He has poisoned you against me… He tells you these things, but they're not true, Hitomi!" He shook her roughly by the shoulders.

"STOP IT!" She slapped him across the face. "You know that I can think for myself. I don't eat lies when they're fed to me. Folken has been nothing but honest from the very beginning, and if you won't believe him after all that I've said, then you're not the boy I fell in love with… You're not him at all." she murmured.

"Hitomi… My life has been filled with uncertainty. But there has been one thing that never wavered… Even when I knew that you didn't share my feelings, I always cared for you… Even when you ignored me, even when I saw you kiss Allen, even when you left me… I never stopped thinking about you… Because I love you, Hitomi." Van said awkwardly, his eyes locking with hers.

"So after all of this, you finally admit it? Now, when the dark finale is rising?" Folken asked coldly.

"Well have you ever said it?" Van shot back defensively.

Folken's silent response was all the answer Van needed.

"Hitomi, you're the most important thing in the world to me…" he began as her eyes narrowed.

"Is that all I am to you both? A thing? An object to be squabbled over like infants fighting over a toy? I don't want to stay here with people who treat me like a piece of furniture… Like I don't even have my own thoughts and feelings. No one has ever cared what I thought. You and Allen were the same way. Nothing has changed! Neither of you seem to give a damn about my feelings. All you care about are yourselves. There's no room left in your selfish hearts for me…" she whispered.

"Hitomi…" Van pleaded, not liking the turn this conversation was taking. He was already having déjà vu of her departure three years ago. He grabbed her arm, daring that damned pillar of light to interrupt.

"Hitomi, I need you here. I need you here with me. I want you to stay with me…" His cheeks flushed as Hitomi relived a memory that she'd tried to forget.

"Van, I've heard this one before, and I know how it ends…" she hissed angrily, extending her hand back, ready to slap him.

"Hitomi, that time, in the hangar, I… I didn't know what I was saying… Hitomi, I was fifteen. I was scared. I know that I did it all wrong. All of my words got twisted up inside of my head. I was selfish and stupid and I know it. Hitomi, I want you to forgive me."

"It's not that simple, Van." she whispered softly. "Do you know how many times I've cried for you? How many times I gave you up for dead? Do you know how many times that I was sure I'd die if I didn't see you again? Van, you've hurt me. Again and again. And I know that I've hurt you. But I forgive you… Because you… You're a child, Van. A lonely child who doesn't know what he wants. But I still love you." She looked into his deep brown eyes and felt lost. "I just don't know where to turn anymore. You and Folken. It's like trying to catch a rainbow. It never works out. I'm selfish and I want you both… And it hurts. It really hurts." she whispered, shuddering slightly as a cool breeze whistled past her cheek.

"Hitomi, is it really so hard to decide between someone who loves you and a murderer who kidnapped you and forced you to marry him?" Van yelled indignantly.

"Hitomi, I'm a fair man, it's your decision. Me, Van, neither. It doesn't matter anymore." Folken murmured calmly.

"But what are you saying Folken?" Hitomi asked softly.

Folken answered silently at first, removing his robe and spreading his beautiful black wings.

"Hitomi, Brother… I've cheated death time and time again. I had these blackened wings the first time I truly met you, Hitomi. They were a harbinger of death then, and their meaning hasn't changed. I will die. And soon. I can't evade the grim reaper's scythe forever. And I don't want to. Because this life is tragic. It saddens me every day I live."

"But Folken, you mustn't give up like this. You can't just stop caring! It's not like you, Folken. You're so quiet and cold, but inside I know you! I know how you feel about things! You try to hide it, but I know that you worry. You always worry and that's why so many people worry about you…" she whispered. "People return your feelings, right?" She smiled slightly and he sighed.

"Such naïveté is what gets you in trouble like this to begin with…" Folken muttered.

"Well, I'm not going to let you kill each other and I'm not going to abandon either of you, so I guess we're at a stalemate." Hitomi announced.

"How quaint…" Van muttered sarcastically, his hand drifting ever closer to his replacement sword.

"Stop it, Van!" Hitomi demanded angrily. "You're the reason for all of this suffering! Because you won't let go of the past! Your grip on anger is so firm; it makes your knuckles white. Van, Folken loves you, and I love you. So please, stop this, Van."

"Hitomi…" he whispered, confusion slipping into his voice.

Folken stood up from where he'd been sitting on a rock.

"She's right you know, Van. You and I, we can't let go of what has happened to us, and therefore we can never move forward. I let myself build an empire on the broken bodies of a childlike people, thinking that the more I had, the happier I would be. But I just grew more miserable day by day. But no more. I can no longer bear to shed the blood of the innocents. I… I hate killing; I hate death. I thought that if I could change destiny, then perhaps I could cheat death. Perhaps I could save gentle souls like yours Van, from becoming soldiers. I lost sight of what my true purpose was. But from this moment forward, the Zaibach Empire will be no more, and her people will carry onward. They'll live and die and be happy about it. And so will I."

Hitomi smiled, running towards his arms to hug the tall man. However, she never reached her husband. And a gruesome sight soon met her eyes. Out of nowhere, she heard a voice.

"THIS IS FOR MY SON THAT YOU KILLED! DIE, BASTARD!" An angry man with a brown-mustache alighted from a hidden location, his bow strung, and he released an arrow. He then killed himself with knife, cutting his own throat. The arrow zoomed through the air with a whishing sound and Folken's eyes widened in disbelief.

"FOLKEN, NO!" Hitomi cried, rushing forward, trying to do something, when she knew it was far too late. It was like everything was in slow motion.

"BROTHER!" Van called out, his voice filled with pain.

_So you do still love him… _ Hitomi observed sadly. She saw the arrow strike Folken. She saw him fall to the ground, clutching his chest, blood dripping from his mouth.

"NO!" she screamed, sprinting forward and practically falling on the ground to be by his side. She cradled his head in her lap and spoke to him softly.

"Folken, you'll be alright… You'll be fine, Folken." She was trying to convince herself of this fact more than him.

"Van, please… Pull out this arrow. Please, Van." she begged tearfully. Van hastened to her side and quickly, carefully yanked it out as Folken groaned in pain.

"Hitomi… This arrow has been poisoned. Even if he'd missed… The poison is being pumped through his blood. Soon it will reach his heart. Hitomi, he'll…"

"NO!" Hitomi stopped him, eyes wide.

"Don't say that! Folken won't die… He can't… He's Folken… He's always so lucky…" her voice broke as she bit back tears.

"Hitomi, he wasn't lucky this time… Actually, Folken's never been very lucky…" Van murmured.

"Hi-tomi…" Folken gasped, breathing heavily.

"Shh… I'm right here, Folken. I won't leave you. So don't you leave me… Stay…" Hitomi comforted and pleaded, wiping away the sweat dripping down his brow.

"Hitomi… I can't…"

"Yes you can, Folken. You can do anything… I know that you can. A stupid arrow… It could never kill you… It's just not possible, Folken."

"I'm not afraid to die."

"But _I_ am…" Hitomi whispered softly, clutching his hand. "And to see you die, to see such fleeting mortality, it would break my heart, Folken…"

"You're such a child, Hitomi." he said lightly, closing his eyes. "Maybe that's why I'm so fond of you. You can be so happy and naïve, it's rather… endearing. Even when you were an old woman, I'd still think of you as a girl… A carefree, silly girl. The bravest girl I've ever known. I'll miss that spirit."

"Don't say things like that, Folken. Please, stop it. You're hurting me." she whispered.

"I'm sorry. But in spite of it all, I didn't even know. I never knew. It's ironic at this point, isn't it?"

"What? What are you trying to say?" she asked in confusion.

"Something I should have said a long time ago… I… I love you, Hitomi…" he murmured, blood collecting on his lips. "But I can't stay with you… I want you to be happy… Happy with Van… He'll take care of you, because he loves you very much…" His eyes fluttered and closed and his body became rigid.

"No… No, Folken. Don't die on me… I love you, Folken." She said in the tiniest voice imaginable. He squeezed her hand slightly before he fell limp. Rain seemed to receive its cue and a torrential downpour began to fall. Van stared silently at his brother's body. He took out his borrowed sword and Hitomi's eyes turned fearful. What was he doing? To her relief, he stuck it in the ground before Folken and knelt down, saying a quiet prayer.

_I've never seen Van pray before…_ She thought dazedly. It was rather surreal.

"Van…" She whispered softly, staring at him through new eyes. The boy who she'd fallen in love with was now an 18-year-old man. His beautiful amber eyes seemed to glow even more vibrantly from his tanned, chiseled face as his raven-colored bangs obscured his vision, his lips in a solemn line. "You haven't changed… You're still him… You're still that boy…" She licked her chapped lips, looking at him with those mystic eyes that bewitched him with every gaze.

"I'm not the one who's changed, Hitomi." Van said quietly. "I've always been right here."

"I know, Van… I've always known. I guess I just didn't want to see it with my own eyes." He looked at her hungrily, passionately, and stepped forward.

"I've waited for this for a long time, Hitomi…"

A/N: Cliffy! Evil, aren't I? Sorry. I realize that this was kind of an odd chapter… There is only one real chapter left and then I guess what can be called an "epilogue." And I definitely saw Star Wars: Episode III a few too many times. Look at page three if you don't know what I'm talking about. It was unintentional, but I'm amused, so I didn't change it. I know that you H/F people are about to string me up, but I have something coming up in the next couple chapters that should slightly appease you. I've got it all planned out, folks, so don't worry! Most likely, chapter 14 shall come out in 2 weeks from tomorrow. I'll be vacationing in CO during that time and I will try to update as soon as I get back. _If_ I possibly have a chance, I _might_ be able to get my uncle to loan me his laptop to upload chapter 14… _Might_ is the keyword there. Although updating in three weeks was a lot timelier than not updating for fifteen months, so baby steps, right? The coolest homecoming gift would be a plethora of reviews, darlings! Make my dreams come true! Oh yeah and "True Colors" is supposed to represent how Hitomi feels about Folken. (It took me a **really** long time to pick a song for this chapter… I've been sitting here for an hour.)

Next Time On "Tears of the Heart":

"_It's going to be alright, Van." Hitomi told him quietly, biting her lip. "I know that it may not seem like it right now, but I promise you. Everything's going to be okay." _

_Silently, he stepped onto the platform of the guymelef, and offered his hand to Hitomi, pulling her up next to him. After she was seated, he took the controls. Suddenly they were leaving Zaibach far behind them._


	14. The Full Table, The Empty Room

Disclaimer: I don't own Escaflowne (or any of Escaflowne's characters.) I also don't own any flashbacks from the series or "After All" by Peter Cetera and Cher.

**Tears of the Heart**

_Well here we are again  
I guess it must be fate  
We've tried it on our own  
But deep inside we've known  
We'd be back to set things straight_

I still remember when  
Your kiss was so brand new  
Every memory repeats  
Every step I take retreats  
Every journey always  
Brings me back to you

After all the stops and starts  
We keep coming back to these two hearts  
Two angels who've been rescued from the fall  
And after all that we've been through  
It all comes down to me and you  
I guess it's meant to be  
Forever you and me  
After all

When love is truly right  
This time it's truly right  
It lives from year to year  
It changes as it goes  
Oh and on the way it grows  
But it never disappears

After all the stops and starts  
We keep coming back to these two hearts  
Two angels who've been rescued from the fall  
And after all that we've been through  
It all comes down to me and you  
I guess it's meant to be  
Forever you and me  
After all

Always just beyond my touch  
Though I needed you so much  
After all what else is living for  
Whoa

After all the stops and starts  
We keep coming back to these two hearts  
Two angels who've been rescued from the fall  
And after all that we've been through  
It all comes down to me and you  
I guess it's meant to be  
Forever you and me  
After all

_After all the stops and starts  
We keep coming back to these two hearts  
Two angels who've been rescued from the fall  
And after all that we've been through  
It all comes down to me and you  
I guess it's meant to be  
Forever you and me  
After all_

-"After All" by Peter Cetera and Cher

Chapter 14: The Full Table, The Empty Room

He put a hand on her shoulder. He seemed to be looking right through her with those fluid, dark eyes. Hitomi stared at him widely, not quite sure what the young king was planning to do. She was taken off-guard when he pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her. She found her face burrowed into his muscular shoulder, and she couldn't honestly say that she minded. It felt so right, so safe, being in Van's arms like this.

_When I'm with Van, I just feel like I belong here._ She realized, closing her eyes and taking in his masculine, natural scent.

"I'm glad that you're with me, Hitomi." Van murmured.

"I don't think that I've ever told you that."

"No…" Hitomi whispered. "It's nice to hear…"

"Hitomi… I…" She looked at him softly.

"Please, Van, let's leave this place. Folken wouldn't want to stay here any longer. It's time to go home." She blushed softly, seeing a slight upturn of Van's lips when she alluded to Fanelia as her home.

_Well it's the closest thing to a home that I've got now. I mean, I can't stay in Zaibach, and Earth, well it's not really an option anymore. I've changed too much to belong on Earth anymore._ She thought sadly.

"That's more than fine with me." Van said softly. He blushed when she took his hands in hers and smiled at him. "Escaflowne!" he called out, looking towards the sky, physically and mentally summoning the white dragon. It seemed like only a moment had passed when his guymelef arrived, stirring up dust and rocks as it landed behind them.

"It's nice that some things never change." Hitomi said softly, looking at the beautiful armor, marveling at its majesty. True, Escaflowne was dangerous, but it had also helped Van move forward after Fanelia was destroyed. Without it, she sometimes thought that Van would have been lost. That he wouldn't have been able to move on.

_Whether it was right or wrong… He needed Escaflowne to survive…_

She looked off to the side where Van stood, staring down at his brother with that unreadable expression he so often sported. He closed his eyes, somewhat painfully, and she could see him clench his fists. As much as Van had hated Folken, the loss of his brother had wounded him deeply.

_After all, Folken was really the only family he had left. He's all alone now. Oh, Van…_ She sighed. _For all we know, Van may be the last Draconian left. I wonder what it's like to be so alone…_

Hitomi watched as Van knelt down, removed Folken's cape, and wrapped it around his brother's head as a sort of make-shift burial cloth. With _great_ effort, he attempted to lift his brother and carry him towards the Escaflowne. However, Folken was a _very_ tall man, and weighed enough to prove it. Van couldn't do this by himself. Hitomi wordlessly came over and grabbed hold of Folken's legs, and together, they gently placed him in Escaflowne.

"It's going to be alright, Van." Hitomi told him quietly, biting her lip. "I know that it may not seem like it right now, but I promise you. Everything's going to be okay."

Silently, he stepped onto the platform of the guymelef and offered his hand to Hitomi, pulling her up next to him. After she was seated, he took the controls. Suddenly they were leaving Zaibach far behind them.

"Goodbye…" Hitomi whispered as the guymelef caught another gust of wind. They were flying away.

Hitomi and Van flew in silence, neither daring to say a word to the other, Van grasping Escaflowne's controls as if they were a lifeline. Maybe they were.

"So, we're heading back to Fanelia, then?" Hitomi asked softly, breaking the unbearable silence.

"Yes. Fanelia is Folken's home. It's only right that he be put to rest there. And I've neglected my kingdom more often than not as of late. It's about time that I start acting like the king that I am." Van replied solemnly.

"But our troubles are over now, right? Zaibach has lost its leader. I don't think that their resiliency will be quite so formidable this time around. Fanelia is finally safe, Van."

"Yes, but who knows for how long…?" he murmured.

"It looks like I'm following you home again…" she observed, smiling softly. It had been three years since she first came to Gaea, but it seemed like it had always been a part of her.

"I don't mind so much this time." he murmured awkwardly, refusing to make eye contact. He was still her awkward, socially-graceless Van.

"Van… I think that I've finally figured out what's wrong with me…"

"What's that?"

"I… I always choose the wrong boy… I picked Amano when Yukari loved him, I picked Allen…" That one went without explanation. "Then I guess I picked Folken… He would still be alive if it wasn't for me… I hurt everyone who I care about… I always do… And Van, you've been here all this time. You were always there for me, and I never even realized it. I'm sorry, Van. I've taken advantage of you time and time again. I just always seem to make you terribly unhappy. I'm sorry for all of the pain that I've caused you. Even when I abandoned you, you were always there protecting me. And how do I repay you? I just leave. I always leave."

"It's fine." Van grunted.

"No, Van, it really isn't. No one like me deserves to have a friend like you." She put a hand on his arm, and looked up at him, smiling through tears. "You know, sometimes I think the reason I fell for Allen was because I thought that he needed me. He always acted like he _wanted_ me around. He was so open with his feelings."

_Maybe a little too open._ She thought, grimacing.

"You would have married him if you hadn't left." Van stated matter-of-factly.

She smiled softly, shaking her head.

"No… I think that I… I think that I just wanted someone to love me so much that when Allen… It just made me feel like I had to love him in return. But I could never have been happy with Allen. He was too controlling, too easy with women, too _perfect_… Allen and I wouldn't have made each other happy. I know that now. Van, when I heard you. When I heard how much you wanted me to be safe, I was scared. I was scared to let you care about me. I didn't want to hurt you. You were always getting hurt, Van, and it always seemed like I was to blame. But Van… In that moment, I never felt so… loved. You've always been watching over me, Van. I think that you're my guardian angel."

"I'm no angel…" he murmured as Hitomi stared at him, standing rigidly, looking straight ahead towards the horizon.

"I just wish that you could see what I see when I look at you. You're so brave and strong. You're selfless, loyal, and kind. Really, Van, you're the best person that I've ever met." This admission caused her face to turn a bright red as she averted her gaze towards her suddenly-interesting shoes.

"You don't need to say that." Van replied hastily, his face rivaling the girl's beside him, gripping the controls tighter, if that was possible.

"Seriously. But it's not like you're perfect or anything. You're stubborn, irrational, violent, close-minded, hermit-like… And you wear the same thing all the time! You can be _very_ rude, you rush into things blindly, and…" Van's fists were now clenched, the Escaflowne's controls long-since forgotten.

"Well if I'm so terrible, why don't you go back to your precious palace?!" he spat angrily.

She sighed.

"But in spite of everything, I still… love you, Van." she finished softly, folding her hands in her lap. "It took me a long time to realize it, but now I know."

"You know, it's taken a lot of patience to catch you in between suitors." Van commented, still facing forward as Hitomi felt ready to die of embarrassment.

"Yeah. I guess that you're right." she admitted, sickened by herself. How could one girl go through so many "one true loves" in such a short amount of time?

_I mean… I guess it's not too unusual… Plenty of girls my age go through multiple boyfriends in a single year. Yeah, I'm not doing anything wrong!_ She became morally indignant from Van's "implied" insult. Then she pushed back her bangs with her hand and stared at him thoughtfully. _But for those girls… It's not…serious, I guess. I mean, I've been married, proposed to, and nearly eloped with three guys in three years. That's a little Jerry Springer-ish._

"Hitomi… I…" Suddenly, they were interrupted by a frightful commotion. Well, perhaps not _frightful_. Below them was an endless mass of people. And they were…

_Cheering?_ Hitomi thought in confusion.

"HURAH!" they cried joyously, gazing up at the two young-adults. "LORD VAN! HURAH! HURAH!"

"I think that you have some fans." Hitomi commented, smirking.

"So it appears." Van agreed, a slight tinge of confusion evident in his tone.

Hitomi looked down at the scenery and gasped, tears coming to her eyes.

"It's… Fanelia…" she whispered, grasping onto the side of Escaflowne for support. "We're back, Van."

_I haven't seen Fanelia since I was fifteen… _She thought in wonder, staring at the wide assortment of buildings surrounding the beautiful castle flanked by gardens.

"It's like I never left."

"Maybe we never did. Maybe this whole thing has was just a dream…" Van whispered, looking out at the people. **His** people.

"Well it's the most realistic dream that I've ever had." she replied. She smiled thoughtfully. "Your people truly love you, Van."

She nearly screamed when he grabbed hold of her as they began a sudden descent. Then, they were on the road paved with cobblestones, surrounded by an endless horde of Fanelians of all shapes and sizes. Their king had returned, and they did little to hide their enthusiasm.

"LORD VAN!" they exclaimed jubilantly, crowding around and circling him joyously.

"I, Van Fanel, have returned to you, people of Fanelia. And I've brought you something… someone," he amended quickly, "that you've needed… that **we've** needed…" He suddenly grabbed a hold of Hitomi's hand. "My people, I've brought you your future queen. Lady Hitomi, the seeress from the Mystic Moon!" Cheers and gasps erupted. Hitomi looked at him in obvious, justifiable confusion.

"Wait a second… Don't I get any say in this?!" she demanded hotly as everyone silenced, staring at her as Van gave her an incredulous look.

"Don't you want to be queen?"

"Well… I… Well you didn't even ask!" Blush stained her cheeks as she blinked, trying, and failing, to hide her embarrassment.

"Well then…" He blushed, dropping to one knee and looking up at her. His eyes were so solid, so determined. Like he was about to enter a battle. Perhaps this was the most formidable battle he'd ever faced. "I, Van Fanel, would be deeply honored, if you, Hitomi Kanzaki… would be… my wife." She stared at him expressionlessly as he took her hand between his two leather-gloved palms. "Will you marry me?"

She looked out at the crowd of people, hushed, waiting expectantly. Then… she looked at Van, the boy who she'd known since she was a girl, who she'd cared for, cried over, fought with. The boy who was secretly an angel, but fought like a demon. The boy who was looking at her right now as though she could shatter his entire world with the wrong response. She wouldn't, _couldn't_ shatter Van's world.

"Yes, Van. I will be your wife." He rose up and crushed her to him as hats were thrown into the air and cheers ensued.

"Van…?"

"Hm?"

"What are you doing?" Hitomi cautiously made her way down the path that led to her husband.

"Nothing." She glanced up and saw Escaflowne kneeling before the king and inwardly rolled her eyes.

"It sure doesn't look like nothing." she commented.

"I was thinking about what my mother said. You remember, you told me what she said after you talked to her that time."

"Oh that. I haven't been using the cards, Van. I promise. And you still have my pendant. I swear, I've tried to do what your mother said! I don't let my feelings call up bad futures anymore."

"This isn't about you." Van replied solemnly. "It's about me."

She looked at him in confusion. Hitomi studied him. Like she had so many times before.

Flashback

"_All you have to do is look at people and you know them. I don't care what anyone tells you, Hitomi. You can see a person's heart right through their clothing. You can watch them grow, right before your eyes." Hitomi's grandmother whispered softly, placing a wrinkled, gnarled hand over Hitomi's._

End of Flashback

He had grown. Anyone who didn't know him, who didn't know Van, would never have noticed. But he had. He'd been a willowy, stick of a boy, albeit still very handsome. In the last few years, he'd filled out considerably. True, he was still a bit thin, but she saw his muscles convulse beneath his skin and she knew he'd grown quite a bit since she'd first met him. True, he had more scars now. One on his forehead was particularly noticeable. She felt, that as much as he tried to hide it, he was self-conscious of it, and she always made sure to tell him how she was lucky to have a husband willing to fight for justice. But most of Van's scars were on his soul and heart. And those would take a lifetime to heal, if they ever did.

"What about you?" she asked softly.

"I realized that perhaps my mother wasn't directing all of that at you… We're more alike than we thought." His gaze fell on Escaflowne, the cold machine before him. "By keeping Escaflowne awake, I'm only showing our people that I have no faith that we can be at peace. That I feel that I must be ready to fight at any given moment. I'm telling them not to believe in our dream of a land without war. To guard their every move and keep their children indoors. What kind of king am I to crush my peoples' spirits? I'm going to let Escaflowne sleep. I don't want to rely on it any longer. I want to believe in our future. I'm just sorry that it took me so long to realize that I didn't need it anymore." He smiled slightly and climbed onto Escaflowne's knee. Reaching inside, he pulled out the dragenergist. Escaflowne's heart. He watched as it silenced forever. "Thank you, Escaflowne." he whispered.

"I feel like I've been here before…" Hitomi commented aloud.

"Maybe you have… Maybe all of this is a dream. Maybe, nothing is real…" Van replied, staring at her through his obscuring bangs.

Hitomi asked softly, "So, is it time to wake up?"

"Dilly!" Yukari called, wiping her hands on her apron as she called to her son through the back door. She tapped her foot a bit impatiently when she got no reply. "DILANDAU!" Her eyes grew a bit angry as she threw the apron off, storming outside. She heard a soft giggle and rounded the side of the house. There, behind the garage, was her son, playing with a lighter.

_Why me?_ She thought.

"DILANDAU SUMURU!" she shrieked.

"AHH!" She had caught him off guard and he fell from his crouched position onto his backside, the lighter falling harmlessly to the ground beside him. "I CAN EXPLAIN!" the little boy began quickly.

"I'm sure that you can… And you'll have plenty of time to explain this to your father when he gets home. Ah, there he is now…" She saw Amano's Camry pull up in the driveway and flashed a triumphant grin at her young son.

"Oh jeez…" the boy muttered, eyes widening. He quickly scrambled out front to the driveway. Amano stepped out of his car and was quickly enlaced in a crushing pint-sized embrace.

"Oh, Daddy! I love you!" the boy gushed.

"Um… Yes… I love you too, Son." Amano gasped awkwardly. That kid was strong! He patted Dilandau on the head while quickly escaping from his death grip.

"Hey, Dear." Amano whispered as Yukari approached, arms crossed in front of her, staring at their son rather coldly. He gave her a quick peck on the cheek, but she refused to break her stoic, ice-like glare.

"Why don't you ask your son what he's been up to this afternoon?" Yukari asked in a fake-pleasant tone.

"Why not? What have you been up to, Kiddo?" He ruffled his son's hair, trying to avoid his wife's piercing glare.

"I made my bed and ate all of my vegetables…" his son quickly piped up.

"You're a terrible liar, Dilandau." Amano commented softly.

"So what has he really done?"

"He was playing with a lighter! He could have set the whole house on fire!" Yukari replied heatedly.

"Is this true?" Amano looked down at his son, who weakly nodded.

"Yes, Sir." He stared down at his feet.

"Well let's have no more of that. Up to your room." he murmured as the boy quickly dashed off.

"Well, he is fast; maybe he'll continue the family track legacy." Amano commented weakly.

"Unless he becomes an arsonist…" Yukari replied.

"Oh, come on, Yukari… I bet that it's a one-time thing… He's a kid; he was probably just… _curious_."

"Amano… This wasn't the first time… I just didn't tell you. I'm worried about him. And every time I take one away, he always seems to get a hold of another one."

"Maybe it's a phase?" Amano suggested hopefully.

"I hope so…" Yukari murmured, glancing up as the light in her son's room flickered on. Somehow, she doubted that.

Hitomi lay sprawled across the bed. She was staring up at the ceiling, thinking of that book she had read when she was a little girl. _Madeline_. That funny book about the little French girl… The girl got her appendix taken out at the hospital and hunted on the ceiling for shapes. She'd seen a rabbit…

_Nope… No rodents on my ceiling…_ She thought gloomily. _How long am I going to be here anyway? _She'd been lying there for hours. Everyone seemed so worried about her. She didn't know why. People were so silly sometimes. Honestly. She wondered where Van was. She'd been apart from him for so long just a short while ago, but now… Well, whenever they were apart, she felt empty inside. Like there was something missing.

_I must really love him then…_ She thought whimsically. She instantly felt ashamed of herself. _Van's my husband… How can I doubt my feelings for him? I promised him my life… My very soul… That day that we were married in the castle. And Van's life is my own. I don't deserve him… Van's been nothing but loyal and devoted to me from the start… I'm the only woman he has ever truly loved. He has proved that time and time again. And what do I turn around and do? I treat his feelings like they're nothing… Am I really that terrible of a person?_

She sighed. When had life become so complicated? All she'd wanted as a 15-year-old was for Amano Sumuru to give her her very first kiss. Funny how things don't work out the way you plan.

_Things barely worked out at all…_ She thought glumly. _Sometimes I wonder if life is worth living… So full of sadness and regret… Every joy seems to be followed by overcoming sorrow… Is this how you felt when you tried to end your life, Yukari?_

She wondered if she'd ever see her red-headed, mischievous friend again… Or the handsome, yet slightly clueless Amano. Or Yukari's son… Or her own family…

_Mom? Do you ever think about me? Do I worry you? I'm so sorry, Mom…_ She sniffed, fighting back tears. Now was not the time to cry. _Crying is useless… I have to be strong… Otherwise, I won't be able to move on._ _I've been thinking about Folken a lot lately. Actually, I've thought about him more now that he's dead than when he was alive… That's a morbid thought… Sometimes, I still think that I can hear his voice. I ask myself, what would he do in this situation? What would he say? I wonder if he would look down on me with pride or disdain. When did his opinion become so important to me anyway? I'm a terrible wife… I only appreciate my husbands when they're no longer within my reach._

She could hear Van yelling at some hapless servant outside.

_What a temper…_

Some things never changed. But she was glad that he hadn't changed. Van was the constant in her life. He was like a steady river. Reliable, beautiful, so sure of himself. She was more like the wind. Always changing direction, changing her mind, changing her feelings on life. She wished that she could be more like him.

_Will I ever grow up?_

She'd had to do a little of that in the past year. After she had married Van, they'd set to rebuilding not only Fanelia, but Gaea in its entirety. What had once been a ruined paradise was progressively becoming a thriving land. Van had appointed official leaders for all of the different Gaean countries. Van had authority over the entire planet now, since all the other royal families had been killed off when Zaibach had taken over. The ruler of one of the smallest kingdoms on Gaea soon became the overseer of the entire world. Of course, being the way Van was, this was about the last thing he wanted, but what else could be done? He reluctantly became Gaea's guardian, with Hitomi by his side as his queen.

Their marriage had not been the small, intimate gathering that they'd wanted, but rather a monstrous month-long celebration of feasting, wine, and merry-making. It had been all too much really. She'd even fallen ill. Van quickly halted the celebrating after that, driving the partiers back to where they belonged.

Their peace and quiet had been short-lived before the task of ruling not only Fanelia, but all the other countries became apparent. Constant problems, complaints, and uprisings seemed to fall upon them. Hitomi didn't know how to handle it. Sometimes, she just couldn't take it anymore, and fled to the forest, crying and wishing that she was home, wishing that she wasn't a queen. She'd never really felt like one in Zaibach… The nice thing about a dictatorship was that there were no complaints and there was an army to quell any "upstarts." Hitomi had been shielded from such problems then.

_And I wanted to be involved_… She thought, rolling her eyes.

However, she did what she could, tending to the sick, helping with the orphaned, the poor, and the destitute. She held parties for the ladies of Van's appointees and tried to be civil to her husband's pig-headed council. They hated her. There was no getting around it. It was no ordinary life.

But when the day was over, and she and Van were alone, she felt like it was worth it. That all she needed was this wonderful man to make her happy for the rest of her days. Van was her first true love and he would be her last. He wrapped his arms around her and she felt the sweat and power of his embrace. She was lost. He consumed her.

Suddenly, she heard a loud wailing. Where was it coming from? Her calm, tranquil world dissolved and she fell, screaming back into reality. She was being ripped apart. Why did it hurt so much? She couldn't stop sobbing and cursing. She wanted to die. Who would force a woman to undergo such a terrible pain? What was happening to her?

"Milady…" a soft voice whispered, nudging her slightly as she tiredly turned her head to face the woman who was speaking. "What's his name, Milady?" She held up a squirming, bloody mess for her to see. Her baby. Her first son. She stared at him, as though trying to cast him away with her gaze. She closed her eyes and grimaced when she knew that she could not. Van broke down the door just then, the flustered servants who had tried to prevent his entrance following behind him. He seemed paralyzed when he saw her and the child.

"Folken." she murmured. She stared at Van, her eyes never wavering. There was nothing left now. She was empty inside.

A/N: Angsty, huh? To clear up any confusion, Hitomi is kind of in one of those empty spaces in her mind where she tends to go. She's going in and out of consciousness during her labor, which is why it might be a bit… odd sounding… And I know that the Yukari/Amano scene was a bit random… This chapter is kind of just explaining how everyone bides their time until the next chapter. Y/A raising a family, Van and Hitomi starting one… Well, the next chapter is the last. Sorry that this one took forever to come out. School and writer's block swat at me frequently. Think of this as a belated Halloween/Thanksgiving/Christmas/New Year's present! Thanks for all of your loyalty to this story and to me, despite the shortcomings that both this fic and I possess. I hope to put up the last chapter in a timely manner. But Theater Fest is this weekend, and I have to memorize my lines… So, we'll see how things go…

Next Time On "Tears of the Heart":

"_It's mean of Uncle Folken to make you cry." the boy commented stubbornly. He hated to see his mother cry._

"_Oh, don't be mad at him, Sweetheart. It's not his fault." Hitomi replied, pulling him into what was becoming a group hug._

"_Did you love Uncle Folken, too?" he asked. There was an awkward silence. _


	15. Goodbye

Disclaimer: I don't own Escaflowne, its characters, or any flashbacks from the series used in this story. I also don't own the song "Goodbye To You" by Michelle Branch.

A/N: Yes, this is it. The long-awaited final chapter because the last chapter really didn't give you all any closure. Enjoy.

**Tears of the Heart**

_Of all the things I've believed in  
I just want to get it over with  
Tears form behind my eyes  
But I do not cry  
Counting the days that pass me by_

I've been searching deep down in my soul  
Words that I'm hearing are starting to get old  
It feels like I'm starting all over again  
The last three years were just pretend  
And I said,

Goodbye to you  
Goodbye to everything I thought I knew  
You were the one I loved  
The one thing that I tried to hold on to  
The one thing that I tried to hold on to

I still get lost in your eyes  
And it seems that I can't live a day without you  
Closing my eyes and you chase my thoughts away  
To a place where I am blinded by the light  
But it's not right

Goodbye to you  
Goodbye to everything I thought I knew  
You were the one I loved  
The one thing that I tried to hold on to  
The one thing that I tried to hold on to

And it hurts to want everything and nothing at the same time  
I want what's yours and I want what's mine  
I want you  
But I'm not giving in this time

Goodbye to you  
Goodbye to everything I thought I knew  
You were the one I loved  
The one thing that I tried to hold on to  
The one thing that I tried to hold on to

_Goodbye to you  
Goodbye to everything I thought I knew  
You were the one I loved  
The one thing that I tried to hold on to  
The one thing that I tried to hold on to_

And when the stars fall  
I will lie awake  
You're my shooting star

-"Goodbye To You" by Michelle Branch

Chapter 15: Goodbye

"But Lord Van!"

"How could you have agreed to this?"

"She was half out of her mind at the time!"

"You can't be serious!"

"It's bad luck, Milord!"

"We won't allow it!"

It seemed like everyone in Van's council had something to say about the "unusual" name that had been chosen for his son. Folken. His deceased brother who had not only abandoned the kingdom but practically destroyed Gaea. A murderer and a coward. Certainly not a name worthy of the heir to the Fanelian throne. His council was about ready to kill Hitomi for even suggesting such a treacherous name for Lord Van's son.

"I'm sorry that you object so strongly to the name of the future king. A child named after my older brother and my wife's friend. Pardon us for choosing a name to honor a departed loved one. I can't believe that we had the gall to name our own child without your consent. Forgive us for our obvious oversight." Van replied coldly, wishing that they'd move on to new business. There had to be something more important than objecting to the name of the young prince at this current moment. There had to be some famine, flood, or uprising that held precedence.

"Lord Van. I'm sorry that you feel that we are abusing our position, but we're merely concerned about you and the kingdom. The name 'Folken' does not strike a pleasant note in the hearts of the people. He's responsible for the destruction of their homes, the deaths of their friends and family members… Lord Van, do you really want to be constantly reminded of your brother's treachery every time you look at your own son?" This advisor, Errol, was one of the only advisors he had ever liked. He trusted his judgment. He'd had his own reservations about the name, but how could he tell Hitomi that she couldn't use the name that she'd picked for their son? It didn't seem just.

"My brother did not die a traitor's death. He finally atoned for his wrongdoings. I've forgiven him. He has hurt me the most out of anyone. I can only hope that my people will forgive him as well."

"You've grown wise, Milord. I trust your judgment." Errol commented, his face softening. He'd watched Lord Van grow up from a little boy. He'd never expected him to become the man standing before him. He was very proud of the boy king of Fanelia. The rest of his council seemed to silence after that. Errol was the oldest one among them. He'd served as an advisor for King Gaou and Lady Varie. What could they do? They let Lord Van have his name.

"Here, Dilandau. Have fun at the festival," Yukari shoved a handful of money into her son's palm.

"Wow, really? Thanks, Mom." Dilandau's eyes widened at the amount of money his mother had bestowed upon him.

"You're welcome. You're going with Keisuke and Mai, right?"

"Yeah. I'm supposed to meet them at Keisuke's and then we'll walk over together."

"Just be careful now, alright?"

"Alright. Bye, Mom." He kissed his mother on the cheek, shoving the crumpled bills into his pocket. In the blink of an eye he was out the door.

"Bye…" she whispered after him, staring at the door. Suddenly she saw a girlish blur whiz past her vision.

"Hey! Where do you think you're going?" Yukari grabbed her daughter by the shoulder.

Kaiya gave her an anxious smile.

"To the festival?" she squeaked.

"Not as far as I know, you're not."

"Well, you see, Mom, Ryo asked me today if I'd go with him. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. If you say 'no' my life will be officially over!"

"Being a bit overdramatic, aren't we?" Yukari asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"I've had a crush on Ryo forever and if I said 'no' he would have never asked me again! Please, Mom, can I go?"

"I guess."

"Yes!" The girl pumped her fist, cheering loudly for all to hear.

"Be back by 10:30 and be careful."

"Thanks, Mom!" She kissed her mother on the cheek and dashed out the door where Yukari now noticed a boy waiting awkwardly in the driveway.

"I guess that we've got the house to ourselves tonight." The voice of Yukari's husband, Amano, appeared from the stairway.

"It appears so."

"So, what should we do?"

"We could just relax."

"Sounds like a good idea to me," Amano agreed. They both collapsed on the couch in the living room. "It's funny. Our kids are growing up. Pretty soon, it'll always be like this."

"Don't say that! I can't believe how old they're getting. Dilandau's going to be graduating from high school next year and Kaiya's going out on her first date tonight! It's too much for a mother to handle!" Yukari sighed, her head resting on her husband's shoulder.

"I wouldn't mind if it were always like this…" Amano whispered, kissing her cheek. "There's nothing wrong with Dilandau and Kaiya growing up, Yukari. It's what children do. I'm blessed to have two good-looking, intelligent, caring children and such a wonderful wife to grow old with. I'm so lucky to have you."

"Amano… There's something that you should know…" she began. She wasn't sure why she'd never told him before. But she was tired of keeping secrets from her husband. She was tired of living a lie. Amano had to know their son's true parentage. It would hurt him, but he had the right to know that he was playing father to another man's son. "Before we were married, I was married to another man. A terrible man. He was cruel and unfeeling. He was the opposite of you in every respect. Marrying him was a mistake I've regretted throughout my entire adult life. We finally separated and I was reunited with you. Unfortunately, the damage had already been done and I… Well, I was pregnant when I left him. I never meant to hurt you, Amano. I just loved you so much, but I didn't have the heart to give up the baby. His father has never even met him. He's dead now. I'm sorry that I kept this from you for so long, but I didn't want to hurt you. You loved Dilandau so much, but it was killing me to not tell you. You should know though, Amano, that you're the only father Dilandau has ever had and the only father he ever will have. Please don't be angry with me."

"Yukari, there was no need for you to be so concerned. I've known your secret for a long time now," Amano sounded very tired, which was quite understandable given the current situation.

"You knew? But why didn't you ever say anything? Does Dilandau know, too?"

"Unless you've told him, he's blissfully unaware for the time being. I don't plan on telling him anytime soon, unless you think that it's appropriate. Yukari, you had Dilandau seven months after our marriage. I could not possibly be the father. I'm not stupid, Yukari. I can do basic math."

"I'm sorry, Amano. I'm so sorry," she whispered, tears beginning to leak from her eyes as she buried her face in his chest.

"Why? Why are you sorry? It couldn't be helped, could it? It wasn't your fault. I don't regret a single thing that I've done. Marrying you was definitely not an exception. And while Dilandau might not be my biological son, he will always be my son. I was there to see his birth, to see him grow. He's a fine young man and I love him very much. Yukari, he is my son by love if not by birth. I have always thought of him as such and that will never change. Do you understand now?"

"Yes. I think that you're wrong though," Yukari replied.

"What about?"

"You're wrong to think that you were lucky to marry me. No one could ever be as lucky as me. I have you," she whispered, kissing him. For once in her life, Yukari felt like the luckiest person on Earth. Perhaps she was.

"Now where could Folken be?" Hitomi asked aloud, wandering deeper into the forest.

"I don't know. Probably eaten by a dragon." Van replied, swinging the hand of his wife that he was holding.

"Well, I guess that we'll have to eat his birthday cake all by ourselves. Too bad. It's Folken's favorite flavor." Hitomi heard a rustle in the nearby bushes and smiled.

"I guess that I'll have to find something to do with that new sword I got for him, too. It was a nice blade. Built for a man. I guess that I'll have to give it to someone else."

"You got him a sword?" Hitomi stopped in her tracks, placing her hands on her hips, glaring at her husband.

"He's old enough." Van defended his gift indignantly.

"He's five!" Hitomi exclaimed in exasperation.

"That's how old I was when Balgus gave me my first sword!"

"That's crazy! He could hurt himself or someone else!"

"He'll be fine!"

"Oh well, I suppose it doesn't matter since we'll never see him again…" Hitomi continued. "You might as well melt that sword into scrap metal…"

"No! Please, Father! Don't melt my sword!" A small boy emerged from the bushes, knocking leaves and twigs out of his hair. Van and Hitomi smiled at the emergence of their mischievous son.

"Oh look! He's alive! I guess that I'll have to give him his sword." Van said teasingly, ruffling his son's hair.

"Drat! I guess that we'll have to share the cake, too." Hitomi feigned annoyance, snapping her fingers, though she couldn't help smiling. They each took one of their son's hands, swinging him between them as they started down the path.

"Where are we going, Mother?" he asked Hitomi, bright eyes filled with curiosity.

"We're going to see someone in the woods."

"Who, Mother?"

"Someone very special." Hitomi whispered, gazing at her son thoughtfully.

"Why does he live in the woods?" the boy asked.

"He doesn't… He doesn't really live there, Darling. He died a long time ago."

"Before I was born?"

"Yes. Many months before you were born."

They finally arrived at their destination. The clearing in the woods where Escaflowne lay dormant. Van had kept his promise and kept it that way since that day almost six years ago now. It looked like a statue, frozen in time.

"Hello, Old friend." Van whispered, placing a hand on the cool exterior of the guymelef. "This, Folken, is Escaflowne."

"Escaflowne! Wow! The guymelef that you used in the Great War? Can I try it?"

"No!" Van and Hitomi both answered simultaneously.

"What we mean is that Escaflowne, although it is very powerful and can save lives, is also very dangerous. Your father bound himself to Escaflowne many years ago and it nearly cost him his life. We hope that you'll never have to pilot this guymelef. As long as there is peace, there will never be a need." Hitomi explained to her son.

"Oh man! Why does he get to have all the fun?" The five-year-old muttered, kicking a rock on the ground.

"You'll understand when you're older." Van tried to placate his disappointed son. He looked up wistfully at the guymelef until seeing Hitomi's 'don't even think about it' look. He sighed. "But Escaflowne's not who we're here to see." he reminded his son gently, leading him to the other side of the clearing where a grave was hidden beneath the shade and mass of a large tree. Hitomi and Van had interred Folken's namesake there. They feared that his grave would be desecrated by Fanelians or other Gaeans if its location was made public knowledge. They hoped by hiding it there that Folken could finally rest in peace.

"This is your Uncle Folken." Van told his son quietly, kneeling down by the grave.

"He's named Folken like me?" The child asked in confusion.

"Yes, Son. We named you after him." Van replied. He suddenly looked very old and tired. "He was strong, intelligent, and compassionate. Traits we hope that you will carry on in his name. He was my older brother and I loved him very much."

"He was a good man. He didn't always make the best decision, but he had a good heart." Hitomi told her son.

"It's sad that he has gone away, isn't it?" Folken asked, sensing the wave of sadness that had washed over his usually chipper parents.

"Yes, Folken, it's very sad." Hitomi whispered, tears filling her eyes. Van rose to his feet, wrapping his arms around her, trying to console her, feeling her grief.

"It's mean of Uncle Folken to make you cry." The boy commented stubbornly. He hated to see his mother cry.

"Oh, don't be mad at him, Sweetheart. It's not his fault." Hitomi replied, pulling him into what was becoming a group hug.

"Did you love Uncle Folken, too?" he asked. There was an awkward silence. Hitomi wasn't sure how to respond to this inquiry. Finally, she decided to take the leap.

"Yes, Folken. I loved your uncle very much. Just like I love you and your father." Hopefully Van wouldn't take that the wrong way. No one could deny that he was a jealous person. He couldn't help it so Hitomi forgave this foible.

_Why does it still hurt so much? _Hitomi wondered. Folken had died almost six years ago, but his death still felt fresh and heart-wrenchingly painful.

She studied her son through her tear-filled eyes. Folken looked a bit like Van when he was that age. He had scrawny little legs, but still a bit of chubbiness in his face. He wore tan shorts and a green tunic. His eyes were bright green like hers, but his hair was a bit more _unexpected_. He had light blue hair, just like his namesake. Van had told her that his mother had said that her father's hair was the same color as Folken's, so their son seemed to resemble his paternal great-grandfather. He was adorable and very good-natured. He always had a smile on his face. He had not grown up in a world filled with war and death like Van. He'd known nothing but happy, carefree days in his short life. They'd already ascertained that he had wings like his father, although they were careful to conceal that knowledge from as many people as possible. Some prejudices never died and the Draconian legacy was something that the Fanelian monarchy did not wish to boast about.

The other children were not old enough yet to teach when and when not to use their wings. Their son, Keitaro, was only two and sleeping peacefully in the nursery. His younger sister, Aiko, was only a baby and sleeping nearby in her cradle. Keitaro looked so much like his father that it was scary. Sometimes Hitomi wondered if he was her child at all. He looked like Van's younger twin. He had the same chocolate eyes, dark hair, and tan complexion. Sometimes, when Hitomi was walking by the nursery, she saw him just standing there over his son's crib, staring at him with a look of pride and contentment. It made her heart melt. She had been overjoyed at the arrival of their daughter. She finally had a girl who would someday keep her company in a family previously dominated by men. Aiko looked a bit more like a combination of her parents instead of Van's double like her older brother. She, like Folken, had the green eyes of her mother, but the dark hair of her father. Hitomi felt blessed to have three beautiful children. They seemed to lighten Van's heart. She was glad that she'd been able to help rebuild the family that had been so cruelly taken away from him. They could never replace the loss of Merle, Folken, Balgus, and Van's parents, but she knew that Van loved them with his whole heart.

But still darkness plagued Hitomi's heart. Every time she looked at her eldest son, she couldn't help but wonder where his true heritage lay. True, she and Folken had spent one night together just before his death, but still, once was all it took. She and Van had been married shortly after their return to Fanelia and finally consummated their love. Folken had been born approximately nine months after their wedding. Since they were on Gaea there was obviously no way that she could have a paternity test performed. She didn't dare voice her thoughts to Van. It would kill him to know that his beloved son might be his nephew. His wife's child, fathered by his own brother. Maybe it was better not to know. Maybe it was better to stay like this forever with the man she loved. Too many things had divided them, hurt them, made them wish that they could stop trying. It was time to move on. It was time to love and be loved. Nothing else really mattered anymore.

She wrapped her arms around her small son, hugging him to her chest.

"I'll always love you, Folken," she whispered, tears welling up in her eyes.

"I'll always love you, too, Mother," the little boy replied, surprised at this sudden outburst of emotion. He didn't understand the double-meaning behind the sentiment. It appeared that Van understood. At first, he was bitter, but bitterness melted into understanding and love, as he wrapped his strong arms around his wife, kissing her temple.

"It's alright, you know," he whispered in her ear. "It's alright to miss him. It doesn't make me angry anymore."

She smiled at him through her tears. It had been a long road, a difficult journey. But somehow, deep in her heart, she'd always known that she'd make it here.

"Thank you, Van. A part of me will always miss him, I think. But, if you must know, now, there is no place that I'd rather be than here with you."

"The feeling is mutual," her husband replied. Folken was sort of pushed out of the group hug as his parents shared a very passionate kiss.

"Ewww! Gross!" the boy commented, closing his eyes in disgust at this display.

"You'll understand when you're older," his father told him after the kiss had ended. He seemed to be saying that a lot lately. "Come on, I'll race you back to the castle!" Van sprinted off, leaving Folken in his dust.

"Hey! No fair! You got a head start!" The small boy tore off after him, both of them leaving Hitomi behind.

She stared at her former husband's grave mutely.

_It's still so hard to believe that he's gone. I'm sorry, Folken. But maybe you'd be happy to know that the peaceful world that you envisioned has finally been realized. Your family will no longer have to live in a world full of war. It may not be perfect, but it gets a little better every day. We're doing it for you._

She felt a breeze toss her hair and she smiled.

"Folken… You're right here with us, aren't you? Watching over us… Thank you. I'll never forget you, Folken. You'll always be here with me. In my heart."

She looked into the sky and saw a shooting star. She closed her eyes, making a wish. She felt a sudden warmth overtake her as though someone was holding her in his arms. The star disappeared and the feeling vanished, but she was left with a warm feeling in her heart.

"Thank you. Goodbye, Folken," she whispered, turning back towards the castle. Though she might turn her back now on his grave, she could never turn her back on the past. It defined her. It had made her the wife, the mother, the person that she was today. She no longer regretted what she could not change. Though she might cry, though she might feel pain, she knew in her heart that everything would be alright. And that was enough for her.

**The End**

A/N: Well that's truly the end of it. There is no more, nor shall there ever be any more. I'm very sorry that it took such a ridiculously long time for this to be posted. It originally was to be the epilogue, but it turned into more of an end than anything else. I've thoroughly enjoyed writing this story. I've edited the previous chapters because they were unbearable for me to associate myself with. You may want to read it again. I changed a lot of things to make it stronger and less cluttered. My old stories are just as bad, but oh well, it's a learning process, isn't it? I started this story 5 years ago next month. That is really pathetic since it only has fifteen chapters and I wholly understand that many of my former readers will never see this ending. It's primarily for those who were more recently acquainted with it and for me. I really just wanted to be able to say that I finished it. I plan on taking down a lot of my earlier stories because it pains me to see how bad they were. I'll save them for nostalgia's sake on my computer, but they'll be nothing but a memory to the community within a very short time. This story I'm keeping up, along with a few of the ones I'm not completely ashamed of. Again, I apologize for the inexcusable amount of time it took for me to finish this story. At least it is finished and it can rest in peace. I'm sorry if any of you were disappointed with the ending in any way. This story took a life of its own. I planned on it ending completely differently when I originally wrote it as a 13-year-old. (That was a very rough sketch, of course, and most of the later chapters were written from scratch, with a few of my old ideas incorporated. Your frame of mind changes a lot from the time you're thirteen to the time you're eighteen.) I'd like to thank everyone who read, reviewed, or even looked at this story. It was my most successful fanfiction ever, it's quite safe to say and I'm very glad that I had the opportunity to share it with all of you. This is my last Escaflowne fanfiction ever unless I come up with some incredible idea that must be expressed. (I highly doubt that.) I started this story when I was in junior high and now I'm heading off to college in the fall. It's incredible, really, how time goes by. If you happen to like Inu-Yasha, my only remaining ongoing story is in that category. If you have time to read it, I would appreciate it.

This story featured a lot of music. I even have a playlist on iTunes for all of the songs in it. If you're interested, this is the order:

"A Thousand Miles"- Vanessa Carlton

"Halfway Around the World"- A-Teens

"Don't Dream It's Over" -Sixpence None the Richer

"Hurt" -Johnny Cash

"We Could Still Belong Together" -Lisa Loeb

"Somewhere Only We Know" -Keane

"Days Go By" -Dirty Vegas

"No Need For Promises" -Ma'aya Sakamoto

"I Will Remember You" -Sarah McLachlan

"Somewhere Out There" -James Ingram & Linda Ronstadt

"Overjoyed" -Stevie Wonder

"Unpredictable" -BBMak

"Bitch" -Meredith Brooks

"Kissing You" -Des'ree

"True Colors" -Cyndi Lauper

"After All" -Peter Cetera & Cher

"Goodbye To You" -Michelle Branch

Again, thank you for your words of encouragement. I enjoy every review I receive. I wish you all the best of luck in the future. I hope to someday become a published author, so who knows? Maybe you'll see my name on a book in Barnes & Noble or Borders someday. (Here's hoping!) Thank you for everything. Bye!


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